The Other Side
by LesleyOboe
Summary: AU, Tokyo is split up into different regions since war devastated the land. One night, Misaki sneaks out only to find a man from an opposing region watching him. They quickly become very good "friends."
1. Chapter 1

**This fanfiction is kinda confusing, and I'm sorry that there's a good chance that things won't make sense, but characters are still the same and stuff hopefully. :) **

**I feel like there is a lot of background information in this explaining their situation (?), so please try not to get bored.**

**Chapter One**

_Many years ago, earthquakes and fire devastated the world, causing outbreaks among its citizens. In Tokyo, uprisings caused some regions to form and split off. Tension between these regions caused war, and in many places, unmaintained land became overrun with trees and large weeds. Raids began, every region trying to protect themselves, and in order to defend their people from danger, large metal buildings were constructed in every warring region half underground where bombs couldn't reach. The central government, wanting to end the fighting, commanded the leaders of every region to develop a peace agreement. Despite the orders, peace has not yet been reached._

Takahiro smoothed back his little brother's hair. "Don't worry," he soothed, "It was all just a dream."

Misaki turned over in bed facing away from his brother, willing Takahiro to leave the room. Why wouldn't he just leave already? It wasn't as if these nightmares were anything new. He'd been having them for over ten years now, and every time he woke up screaming, his brother rushed into the room to calm him down.

It wasn't that he didn't love Takahiro—he did, a lot— but it was just so embarrassing having to face him with tears running down his face from a stupid dream. He was an adult, an adult that didn't need his older brother comforting him.

"Misaki, look at me." He refused to turn back over. Takahiro sighed before continuing, "It was just a dream… Was this one different than the others?" The hand played in his hair, gripping strands and pulling them off his face, only to have them flop back in position. Why wouldn't Takahiro leave? It was so embarrassing being treated like he was eight again.

"No," he mumbled under the covers.

"Okay, well if you need anything, I'm in the next room."

A kiss landed on Misaki's forehead and then he heard footsteps signaling that Takahiro had left the room.

Finally, he was gone. No longer under the scrutinizing eyes of his brother, Misaki turned on his back and wiped away the wet streaks on his cheek. Feeling trapped and hot under the blankets, he kicked the sheets off, allowing the cool night air to wash over his body.

His brain and limbs were usually restless after one of his nightmares, and tonight was no exception. Feeling the familiar tingling in his legs, he slid off the bed and reached under it to find his running shoes.

After getting dressed, Misaki tiptoed out of his room and shut the door quietly behind him. As he walked past Takahiro's room, he strained to make absolutely no noise whatsoever. If his brother woke up and found Misaki out of bed after hours, he could only imagine the scolding that would befall him.

Takahiro had always been overprotective of Misaki, but it became exponentially worse after their parents were killed in a raid. There were now so many rules: he wasn't allowed to eat sweets, he wasn't allowed to have friends (especially _girl_ friends) in his room with the door closed, and he wasn't allowed outside after dark. The man considered his little brother to be his responsibility, never mind the fact that Misaki was legally an adult.

He contemplated Takahiro's rules while slinking through the halls. There were only a few lights dimming the walkways just enough so that he didn't slip or bump into something. Because he was unlucky enough to live in one of the regions that were in war, the walls were reinforced with metal to protect against bombs and fire. Although Misaki appreciated the safety, he longed for the outdoors, complete with fresh air and green grass. Everything outside was overgrown like a _Jurassic Park_ movie, but overrun plants were better than cold metal…

The only one of Takahiro's rules that made any sense was the last one about not leaving the building after dark. It was dangerous outside at night, especially since the fighting had come to an impasse. All fighting regions refused to budge, progress had stopped, but tension remained. There had been more than a few civilians from every side walking off into the dark never to be seen again. Of course, everyone believed that "the others" were to blame for these disappearances, but Misaki wasn't so sure. He had often been called naïve, and he knew he probably was, but he didn't think that the other regions would snatch civilians like that.

Misaki, young and inexperienced boy that he was, believed himself to be safe. Whenever he went out on one of his nighttime runs, he stayed close to the perimeter of his building and brought a gun. No, he didn't know how to actually use it, but he did know how to point it and look threatening. In his opinion, that was good enough; it wasn't as if he'd actually be able to shoot anybody anyway.

If Takahiro knew that Misaki had a gun, he'd go berserk. Everyone in the warring regions, even the young children, knew how to use the device. Everyone except Misaki. Takahiro hadn't allowed it, hadn't even wanted the boy to touch it. "You'll end up shooting yourself," he had said. It didn't matter that this made Misaki feel like a wimp, what Takahiro wanted was what happened.

Takahiro was, for some odd reason, one of the three leaders of their region. Misaki didn't understand why his brother was such an important person. The man was a huge softy, and although he was intelligent, he had little education and couldn't solve problems. But he had a big heart and was liked and respected, so maybe that was why he was a leader. Ever since the war had started, all regions were required to teach working knowledge of firearms, but Takahiro vehemently protested. His high ranking got him an exemption pass so that his little brother was an exception to the rule.

Sometimes, Takahiro's protective attitude towards the boy made Misaki irritated. He knew it was out of love, but that didn't stop the fact that he was often made ridiculed by his peers. He was already short and skinny; he didn't need to also be the wimp.

As Misaki ran the edge of his building he let out his frustrations. Stupid dreams, stupid classmates, stupid Takahiro.

Soon, an ache settled deeply into his legs, but he continued to ride out the pain. It felt good, much better than lying in bed waiting for morning. Trees and bushes blurred past him, and Misaki felt free. He he was a good runner, if only because he did it more than anyone else he knew.

Suddenly, a noise from the edge stopped him in his tracks. He felt his breath and heart rate speed up drastically as fear grabbed hold of his body.

Looking around frantically in the darkness for the threat, Misaki's eyes located a man illuminated in the moonlight. He was standing next to a tree, one hand reaching out gripping the bark. Misaki stood still, trying not to breathe, thinking that he might not have been seen, but when the man smiled, he knew he was caught.

The stranger took a step forwards, and the boy took one back. Misaki automatically reached one hand behind him and fumbled for the gun tucked into his pants.

"Stop," he cried stronger than he felt, pointing the gun.

"Stop? Why should I stop?"

He was lurking closer now.

"Because I'll shoot!"

He laughed. "No you won't." A smirk covered his lips. "It's so painfully obvious that you've never used that thing in your life."

Misaki scuffled around as he let the gun drop. He looked away and clenched his eyes, waiting for his imminent and painful death. When nothing happened, he opened one eye, only to see the man right in front of him. They were close, too close, their eyes were staring right at each other.

"Hey, I know you," the man mused. "You're that boy I've seen running around the Region Three headquarters."

Misaki's draw dropped as he tried to place the man. He certainly wasn't from his region, and he didn't think he had seen him at a peace meeting. He couldn't be too sure though; whenever there was a peace meeting, Misaki tried to be inconspicuous. He didn't look at anyone, and nobody looked at him.

But he felt that he would have noticed this tall man with such striking silver hair and purple eyes.

"I… ugh…" Misaki stammered.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you." He reached out to stroke a lock of Misaki's hair. "It would be a shame to damage a boy as cute as you."

**I actually had the video game Fallout****in my head as I wrote it. Except in Fallout****I doubt that there are any pervy Usagi-sans running around late at night.**

**I understand that it's confusing, but I don't know if I conveyed everything correctly. Please review and tell me how I did. I will appreciate every single review and update so that I know that people aren't confused. Or, if you are confused, tell me so that I can fix it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you." He reached out to stroke a lock of Misaki's hair. "It would be a shame to damage a boy as cute as you."

Misaki froze. He didn't understand. Was the man messing with him? Did he think it was funny to screw with a frightened boy?

"Your hair is quite soft," he said, rubbing strands between his fingertips. He leaned down and took a deep breath. "Mmmm… smells good too."

He was close, close enough that Misaki could see the purple sunburst of his iris and the long lashes surrounding his eye. The man was beautiful: smooth skin, strong jaw, and pink lips. Misaki was completely absorbed, momentarily forgetting that he was getting cornered into a wall.

Unconsciously, Misaki's hand reached out to stroke the soft skin of the stranger's face. He wanted to feel the man; he wanted to touch him so that when they parted he would have a physical memory.

The tall man watched Misaki's hand rise. Anticipating the caress, he closed his eyes and leaned forward. The contact would be perfect, he was sure. He craved Misaki's touch, wanted it so badly he could feel it now.

When his hand was scant inches away from its target, Misaki realized what he was about to do. Disgusted with himself, he gave a fierce shove.

The man was jolted out of his dream-state only to fall backwards. He caught himself before his back made contact with the hard ground. Misaki was a few feet away, visibly shaking and pale.

"PERVERT!" the boy screamed. He brought the gun up again and threatened to shoot.

"Hey now, don't do that. You wouldn't want to accidentally hurt me."

Misaki bared his teeth. "Get away from me."

He ignored Misaki's warning and inched closer.

"I'm serious, I'll shoot!" Misaki's voice wavered. He wished he sounded as confident as he wanted to be. He backed up more, but then a wall touched his back, causing Misaki to freeze. There was nowhere to go. He was trapped.

The next step forward increased Misaki's heart rate. One more caused his brain to explode with fear. As adrenaline raced through his system, his finger impulsively pressed down on the trigger.

A loud _boom _echoed throughout the grounds.

For a moment time stood still. After recovering from the shock that he, Misaki, the "wimpy" and "babied" boy had actually shot a gun, Misaki ran his eyes over the mysterious man, praying that he wasn't hurt. He knew it was completely irrational; the man could be armed and ready to take his kill, but Misaki couldn't help but want him to be safe. _Ahhh, why am I hoping he's okay? I should be praying he's dead!_ Misaki thought, repulsed by his himself.

The tall stranger watched all of this and tried to restrain giggling, but ended up exploding into a loud belly laugh. Misaki glared. To think he was worried about the man…

"Looks like you have more backbone than I thought!"

"Shut up!" Misaki screamed, face heated and red.

"Sorry, sorry," the man said, trying to calm down. His eyes remained bright as he continued, "Why'd you have to go and shoot?"

Misaki crossed his arms indignantly and straightened up.

"Now wait just a minute—"

"People will have heard the shot, you know, so I'm afraid we'll have to end this meeting early." He smirked. "We wouldn't want them to come interrupt our party."

"Hey! Don't be such a—"

"Until next time, cutie."

And then he was gone.

Misaki stood there stupidly in a daze. He had just met someone from another region, and he made it out alive and unwounded.

The sound of running footsteps brought him back to reality.

"Misaki!" He turned around to see his brother anxiously rushing towards him.

Filled with shame at being caught outside after dark, Misaki looked down and away from Takahiro. The footsteps got louder and louder before Misaki felt himself get scooped up.

"Misaki! What are you doing out here?"

Unable to answer the question, Misaki closed his eyes and chewed on his lip.

Takahiro waited. He wanted an answer.

Misaki gulped. "I.. ugh… You see…"

A cough from a man nearby interrupted their exchange. "Sir, we need to move."

Takahiro glared, but then he glanced around and agreed. It was dark outside; who knew what evil lurked in the shadows.

* * *

"Really, Misaki! What were you thinking?" Takahiro yelled.

"I didn't think that—"

"That's the problem! You never think!" Takahiro slapped his hand down on the table and narrowed his eyes viciously. "You can't just wander off in the middle of the night! I've told you before about what the other regions would do if they caught you!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"'Sorry' doesn't change the fact that you directly disobeyed both me and our region's laws. _No leaving your building or house after hours. _Everyone knows that." He leaned down over Misaki's chair and frowned. "I'm very disappointed in you."

Misaki looked down and tried to wither away into nothingness. Disappointing him was the worst. After all Takahiro had given him over the years, after he practically threw away his future for his little brother, Misaki didn't want to let him down. He blinked, trying to stop the tears from falling.

Takahiro sat down opposite of his brother and took a deep breath. He rubbed his temple to calm down. "I was worried about you. I heard a gunshot and then I find out that you weren't in your bed."

"I didn't mean to make you worry," Misaki said, still unable to look him in the eye.

"What was I supposed to think when I found you missing?"

No response.

"You are my responsibility; I need to protect you. You're all I have left." Takahiro moved his hand over to cover his eyes. He then rubbed his face, trying to wipe away his fear.

Misaki got up from his seat to drape his arms over his brother. "Don't be afraid," he murmured, squeezing him tightly, "Nothing is gonna happen to me. I'm safe."

"Barely. You could've gotten killed out there. I think there was a fight outside. I heard guns. Someone from another region must have gotten inside our borders."

Misaki hesitated. He didn't pay enough attention to the news or school to know much about the war. He wasn't sure where exactly the edge of the borders were. Takahiro spoke before he had the chance to say something.

"The different regions are trying to come to a peace agreement now. Even so, nothing will stop one of the others from killing you upon sight." He laughed mirthlessly. "It's not like we are actually making any progress on the agreement. It's causing a lot of angst. "

Should he tell Takahiro about the silver-haired stranger? No, then he would also need to explain why he had a gun. At a loss of what to say, Misaki settled for the generic, "I'm sorry."

He laughed again. "No, don't. It's not like it's your fault." He leaned back in the chair and kicked his legs up on a table. "There is going to be another meeting tomorrow. With the way things are going, I think we are going back to war." The regions weren't officially fighting now, but tension was still high and there were a lot of skirmishes.

"Don't say that."

Takahiro smiled. "I love you, Misaki." He patted the small boy's head. "You're so sweet and innocent."

* * *

Usami Akihiko lay back in his bed, arms crossed under his head. The air conditioner was blasting on him full power, but he still felt hot. All over he was melting. It was almost a pleasant feeling. _Almost._

That young boy he ran across was something else: small, very cute, and rather delicious looking. Yes, he would like to run his tongue across his flesh and taste every inch of his skin. He imagined the boy would tremble lusciously as his body was sucked, sweat would bead on his skin, then that would be licked up too.

Akihiko felt himself harden as images of the boy ran through his head. As he reached down to stroke his erection, he pictured his small brown hair bobbing up and down between his legs, then he pictured reciprocating and sucking off the boy. But that wouldn't be enough. Soon, he would have the boy writing underneath him, legs up on his shoulders, thrusting into his small body till they both screamed with pleasure.

After he finished pleasuring himself, Akihiko realized that this was the first time he'd jerked off thinking of somebody other than Takahiro. Ahh, Takahiro, the man from Region Three, the leader with whom he'd been trying to "make peace" with. Ha, more like trying to get in his pants. Too bad the man was too dense to realize what was going on. Akihiko had been postponing making peace just so that they could keep seeing each other.

But now, Takahiro wasn't on his mind; all he wanted was to see the brown-haired boy from earlier, not just to fuck him (though he did want to do that), but to get to know him and make him happy.

He'd seen the boy running around the Region Three headquarters during the meetings, flitting to and fro doing menial tasks. Hopefully, he'd see him the next day.

**People said it wasn't confusing, but I still think it is a little bit. Please tell me if anything is wrong with it. :) Reviews would make my night!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to those of you who have reviewed! It means so much to me that you took the time to tell me what you think! I am pathetic and after I post a chapter I literally check my email every half hour.**

**Chapter Three**

Usami entered through the metal gates of the Region Three headquarters. As he looked around, he dangled a cigarette between his lips. Nothing had changed since the last time he'd been here: same drab décor and cheap furniture. Yet, for how dingy everything looked, the atmosphere, like always, was quite homey. Sweet and delectable aromas wafted from an open door, everything was clean and relaxed (much unlike Usami's own room), and the couch was well-used, not shabby. Everything was so different than his own Region Four, and Usami wished he lived in such a comfortable place.

Takahiro's region was often used for the weekly meetings because his headquarters were were located in the center of Tokyo. It was also the center of all of the fighting. He often wished he lived on the outskirts of the country or on one of the smaller islands. They weren't involved in the war. It was safer there.

"Ah, Takahiro," Usami called, catching the man's eyes.

"Usagi-san! Welcome!"

The relationship between the two men was awkward at best. They were supposed to be enemies on opposing sides of war, supposed to dislike each other, but they considered themselves to be friends.

The leaders of every region had been assembling every week for over a year now. During that time, Takahiro and Akihiko had become quite close. After every meeting adjourned, they would get together and talk— not about war and peace, but about their lives and the people in it.

Akihiko had family issues that consisted of an estranged brother and father. He tried to avoid them, but they kept on showing up at the oddest places. This annoyed Akihiko, as he wanted nothing to do with them, but Takahiro believed that the man was lucky to have family who cared for him. "Care for me?" Akihiko had scoffed, "No, they don't care for me. They just want to screw my life up and take what is mine." Takahiro laughed his words off, but he was secretly hurt. He would consider himself lucky to have parents, even if they were annoying at times.

Takahiro always raved about his "adorable" and "cute" little brother. The man was absolutely obsessed with him! It was always _Misaki this_ and _Misaki that_! How could he not realize that Akihiko didn't give a damn about his brother? Akihiko didn't even know what this Misaki boy looked like, so why would he care about his latest "cutest thing"?

Akihiko was selfish though; he wanted Takahiro all for himself. The man was tall and lean, with a think mop of dark hair. He imagined his body often, every inch of his flesh. But alas, Takahiro was straight as an arrow. Akihiko believed that he could convince him to play for the other team, but as long as he was fixated on his pesky little brat, that wasn't going to happen. The stupid boy took all of his attention, and Akihiko hated him for it.

The meeting transpired as usual. Every region stated their peace objectives, they argued, and then they split up without resolving anything. Akihiko, as usual, didn't contribute anything to the conversation. He was only there because he was a leader of Region Four and because he was able to stare at Takahiro.

He watched him the whole time. Arguments went on all around him, but he was oblivious as he watched Takahiro try to be polite and hospitable while others yelled and ranted. Region Three was, unfortunately, the poorest region by far (a result from the massive bombing and raids they endured), so they were often the scapegoat for most of Tokyo's problems.

Takahiro knew that his region was poor, but he never seemed to mind. Of course, like in every region, there were a few wealthy families, but in general their area was poor. He and his brother had substantially less money than just about everyone else he knew. Every other family had a mother or a father to contribute financially, but Takahiro didn't have an older figure to care for him. He wouldn't allow his younger brother to get a job, so all monetary burdens were on him. Yet another reason why Akihiko didn't like this Misaki boy…

After the meeting was over, Takahiro and Akihiko took their usual spot by the fireplace. It was warm and the blankets on the chairs were soft. Not for the first time that night, Akihiko found himself wishing he was with the boy from last night. He wanted him sitting in his lap so that he could play with his silky brown hair and touch his smooth body. Takahiro, as usual, talked and talked about Misaki, and as usual, Akihiko ignored his ramblings. Instead, he thought about the nameless boy he ran across.

"I love Misaki so much…"

_I wonder what they boy is doing right now…_

"He is trying so hard in school. Why just the last week he did the cutest thing…"

_I wonder if he even remembers me…_

"I get worried about him. I think that the lack of parents in his life is hurting him…"

_He was so small, so adorable…Of course he remembers me!_

"Last night he snuck out."

Akihiko snapped to attention, his eyes sharp. "What did you say?"

"I know, I was shocked too," Takahiro sighed, "It's so unlike him. He's normally such a good boy. I'd say that this is his rebellious stage, but it's a little late for that."

"Just how old is he?"

"Eighteen, but he's always been—"

"EIGHTEEN!" Akihiko threw down his hands and gawked. "Takahiro, by the way you talk about the boy I thought that he was nine or something."

He widened his eyes. "No, no, I've told you before how old he is. I thought you knew."

"Oh," Akihiko looked away. He really should learn how to listen. "I don't remember that."

"Well, anyways, he just hasn't been himself recently. He has been distant lately and now last night…" Takahiro rested his head in his hand and closed his eyes. "I'm afraid that I was too harsh with him. I yelled a lot. It was the most I've raised my voice at him since our parent's death."

"Takahiro, don't worry." Akihiko reached out to pat his shoulder. He was never good at consolidation.

Takahiro groaned and shook his head. "I'm just worried about him. He's all I have left."

Akihiko sat there, unsure of what to do. He doubted that Takahiro's Misaki was the same boy he met last night. But he had to know for sure.

"Do you want me to go talk to him?"

Takahiro's eyes poked over his fingertips. "Would you?"

_Perfect._

* * *

Three short knocks sounded on Misaki's closed door.

"What?" He grumbled.

"It's me," Takahiro said, dejected by his brother's angry tone.

Misaki threw his pillow at a wall. "For the last time: I'm sorry I snuck out. I won't do it again."

Takahiro tried to open the door. It was locked. "I'm not here to yell at you. I just want to talk."

He waited for Misaki to come out, but there was no movement or noise.

"Please, Misaki, I brought someone to talk to you."

Still nothing.

"He's really nice. You'll like him."

After a moment, he heard a soft click as Misaki unlocked the door and then opened it.

Akihiko stared at the boy in front of him.

**Eh I feel like this chapter was very boring and uneventful. I am aware that this chapter is short; however, I got my wisdom teeth removed a few days ago, and unfortunately developed TWO (!) dry sockets. I didn't do anything I wasn't supposed to do, yet somehow I still got them. I wrote this because I couldn't sleep in my pain, so please forgive any mistakes. I assume there will be many things spelled wrong as I am high on painkillers that aren't working, so please tell me whatever is bad or confusing. Now that I have finished writing, I am going to go curl up in a ball and cry. Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the encouraging reviews! They mean SO much to me!**

**Chapter Four**

Akihiko scrutinized the boy, flicking his eyes up and down his small form. He was absolutely adorable.

Misaki tensed. _This was the same man from before!_ Sweat formed between his clammy palms as he tried not to have a panic attack. Surely Takahiro would see how pale he was, hear his pounding heartbeat. It was so loud, everyone else must hear it too. But his brother, oblivious as always, did not notice the cold aura that had settled over the boy.

"Misaki, this is Usagi-san. He's from Region Four." He then turned to face Akihiko, smiling broadly. "See, isn't he cute? I told you he was cute!" Takahiro was almost jumping up and down with pride, eyebrows raised in glee.

Akihiko smirked and nodded as he eyed the boy. "Very cute. Very cute indeed."

"I know, right? He has always been slightly vertically challenged, but I think it really works on him!"

Hearing his brother call him short, Misaki glared. "I will have you know that I'm a perfectly normal height!"

Takahiro nodded gently. He leaned down so that they were on eye level.

Misaki was too trying to look menacing that he didn't notice anyone had moved until he felt something land softly on his head. What that Takahiro's hand? Oh God. Yes, it was. His brother was _patting_ his _head_. "Of course, you're perfect just the way you are!" He said it with such cheery brightness that it only further annoyed the boy.

His flamed up in embarrassment and aggravation. "Don't treat me like a five year old!"

Takahiro shook his head and frowned seriously. "I would never."

"Ugh, you're impossible!" He looked away and crossed his arms.

Akihiko watched the exchange silently. The two other boys seemed to have forgotten that he was standing in the doorway, and he was in no rush to reaffirm his presence. It was nice to watch the brothers quibble. Even through their petty argument, their love for each other was obvious. It filled him with a warm feeling that he had never experienced. This type of thing— gentle teasing and play fighting— wouldn't occur in his own family.

Takahirko straightened back to his full height and laughed. "Anyway, now that you guys are introduced, I'm going to leave."

Misaki felt his heart spazz out of control. "WAIT!"

Takahiro turned around, his face questioning.

"Ugh… You see… I don't think…" _Please don't leave me alone with him._

"Oh, Misaki, you're so cute," he chuckled, "I'll come back later."

Before Misaki could protest further, Takahiro had left the room.

Akihiko jumped right in. "So, we've met before."

Misaki jerked back. "Get away from me."

"Now don't be like that. You know I'm not going to hurt you."

Misaki pressed himself against the wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible. He was so cool and collected, completely in charge of his emotions. Misaki hated him for it.

"If I was gonna do something to you, I would have done it last night." Akihiko moved so that he was right next to the boy, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "Or have you forgotten me?"

Misaki shoved him back. "Freak! Get away!"

The man was unperturbed. "Oh, so you _do_ remember?" He grinned. His ego wouldn't allow himself to think that someone as notable as himself he could be forgotten, but it was still nice to have confirmation. All of last night, Akihiko was sleepless; thoughts of the boy had kept him awake, making his body ache with need and wanting. He wanted Misaki to have endured the same torture.

"I told you, get away!" He glared threateningly, but Akihiko didn't pay him any mind.

"Misaki, your brother has told me so much about you,"—he slinked forward— "and I have to admit, you are so much cuter than I imagined." Another step, then an evil glint appeared in his eyes. Without warning, he pounced forward to shove the boy into the wall.

The flesh under his palms was warm and soft. Misaki gasped, his pulse frantic. He twisted, trying to get out of the man's strong grip, but his body didn't give. Akihiko leaned down to draw a deep breath. Sweetness drifted up his nose. He breathed in again.

"Oh, Misaki…"

There was no reply, just the sound of quick breathing.

"Don't be afraid."

The boy swallowed softly, terrified. "What… What do you want?"

Akihiko let a shiver run through him, blood rushing under his skin. The boy's voice was hesitant and confused, but absolutely captivating. The feelings spread through him, enchanting him, calming him.

"You're so cute, Misaki…"

The boy was silent. Akihiko was about to say something else when Misaki said, "Could you please"— he struggled again— "let go?"

"No." He moved his other arm up. Misaki had on a dark green jacket, and he moved the neckline over so that he could put his hand on the boy's shoulder, trapping him.

He struggled. "You're too close."

"I disagree."

"Okay then," Misaki groaned, frustrated. "Get off me or I'll knee you in the balls."

He laughed. Then pressed their lower hips together, trapping the boy with his thighs. Misaki froze, but Akihiko could feel every inch of their bodies touching. The boy was lean, but his stomach was soft and his shoulders small.

"You're so cute," he whispered in his ear.

Misaki pushed again, so Akihiko pressed more of his weight into the boy. He felt his breathing increase.

"Your brother is worried about you." His words were soft and gentle; he didn't want to scare the boy further.

Misaki's chest moved, as if he was taking a deep breath. "Why?"

"Last night. You went out at after dark. Alone. You could have gotten killed."

"So?"

"I'm glad you did it. After all, I got to meet you, but it was dangerous. Stupid."

No answer.

"Tell me why you did it."

Misaki frowned. Akihiko's weight was still holding him captive against the wall. It hurt his back. "I'm an adult. Takahiro can't tell me what to do. I love him, but what I do doesn't concern him…" Misaki trailed off. "Would you let go now?"

"No."

Misaki fought against him, producing a luscious rubbing of their bodies. Akihiko could tell the instant when the boy's frustration and fear shifted into something hot. He could feel Misaki's arousal as his struggles became weaker and his body relaxed into the man.

Akihiko smirked, feeling himself harden.

"Oh… Misaki…" He circled his hips slowly, rubbing his erection against the boy's belly, intensifying the burning heat between them.

A moment passed, but then Misaki's hands smoothed over man's stomach. They gradually slid around to his back, as if he was unsure of why he was reacting this way.

Akihiko gave a little moan to let the boy know that he approved of his actions. He wanted Misaki to touch more of him, all of him.

Misaki, overwhelmed with heat, felt his hands creep downwards over the man's back. Soon, they were resting just above the waistband of Akihiko's pants. Akihiko willed him to go lower. He ached to feel Misaki's small hands reaching down. He wanted them inside his clothes, bare skin on bare skin.

Akihiko moved his mouth closer to the boy's ear. "I want you."

It felt as if cold water had been splashed on Misaki, draining all heat from his body.

He stiffened once again. He snapped his head and glared. "You _what_?" Misaki shoved strongly against him, and this time Akihiko allowed himself to be pushed back. His eyes were full of desire, hungry.

"I want you."

**I think my perverted-ness has reached new heights with this chapter. It's sick cause I want some guy to trap me against a wall like this, even though I made Usami seem like a sex-starved weirdo… Ahh to live vicariously through writing…**

**Sorry that this chapter has no plot. I was going to put some actual substance in, but I got a little carried away. :) I kind of did away with correct sentence structure in parts of this. It doesn't bother me, but it is more likely to annoy you, so tell me if it is bothersome.**

**So… with the rules about sexual content on FF, how much sex do you think I can write without it being warranted for removal from the site? It would (hopefully) be tasteful if that matters.**

**Thanks for reading!~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for the reviews. Every SINGLE one makes me extremely happy. I get ridiculously excited when I see a new one on my email! So please make my night and be a good reviewer. :)**

**Chapter Five**

"I want you."

_Want?_

What did he mean by that? They were both men. Men didn't _want_ other men.

"You're a freak. A pervert."

Akihiko narrowed his eyes. "I'm a pervert? Me?" He gave one loud, mocking laugh. "Look at yourself!" He eyed Misaki's tented pants. It was obvious that the boy was _very_ aroused. Akihiko wanted to grind against him. He wanted to rub their bodies together until they couldn't think of anything else.

Misaki shriveled against the wall. _Oh God._ This was absolutely mortifying. Right in front of his them, hiding inside of his pants, was proof that his body was excited. He needed to get swallowed by the wall and disappear.

Akihiko wanted Misaki to show himself. He wanted to see the proof that the boy was affected just as much a he was. "Hey, don't be embarrassed. Don't be afraid to show me."

Misaki balked. Was that even possible? No, he didn't think so. "We are men. So… don't do that stuff."

"I don't see what that has to do with it."

Misaki gave him a blank stare. Did he really have to spell it out? Wasn't it obvious? Apparently not.

"We. Are. Men. Men don't… men can't… do that."

Akihiko stalked closer. He leaned down so that his mouth was next to the boy's ear. "You seem to be mistaken. Men can, in fact, 'do that.' I would know."

"Well, don't!" Misaki yelled, pushing him away. Was it getting hotter in here? He could feel sweat gathering over his chest and temples. "Just 'cause you're a pervert doesn't mean that everyone else is too!"

"Don't fool yourself." Akihiko smirked. Looked like Misaki was going to take some convincing. He was more than up for the challenge.

Misaki paled. This wasn't right. These feelings, these sensations coursing through his body weren't natural. It was all unlike anything he had felt before. He had to get out of the room. It was suffocating him. He closed his eyes and swallowed, praying his voice didn't break. "I need to leave."

He almost made it out the door, but a strong hand grabbed his shoulder. Misaki didn't turn around.

Akihiko hesitated. "Misaki, don't leave." Was that desperation in his voice?

The boy paused. Then, he jerked his shoulder away and walked out.

* * *

"Misaki, did you enjoy your talk with Usagi-san?"

This was so not a conversation Misaki wanted to have with his brother. How could he reply? _Well, he molested me and wants to have sex. But, hey! It's all good! He's pretty nice when you get past his arrogance._

No.

Not gonna happen.

Instead, he avoided the question. "Why'd you want me to talk to him?"

"Oh, you know…" Takahiro fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "Just thought it'd be good for you." Takahiro waited for Misaki to say something, but the boy was silent. "Anything else you want to tell me?"

"Like what?"

"What'd you two talk about?"

"Stuff." Misaki looked away. It's not like he could tell Takahiro what happened. His older brother was a kind, generous man, but he had a narrow view of the world; he probably wouldn't accept it if he knew his friend was gay.

"Oh." Takahiro sighed. "Misaki, won't you talk to me?" He knew that Misaki was a teenager. The boy was bound to be hormonal and moody.

"Sorry. I just… I'm really tired right now. You know, last night I didn't get a lot of sleep."

"Oh…" He suddenly brightened. "I know! Let's do something together! Just us. It'll be like old times!"

Misaki tried to look excited, he really did. He loved his brother, even though he was dense as a wall. He didn't want to hurt his feelings. Besides, some time together might actually be fun.

He nodded and smiled. "That sounds great."

Takahiro clapped. "Great! Next weekend then!" He put his hand to his chin to think. "What should we do?" This was an important decision. He wanted them to be able to talk and communicate on their alone time. "A museum?" Yes, a museum was great. Misaki would really enjoy looking at all the neat artifacts, and it was cheap too!

"Ah… Sure. That sounds fine." Misaki tried to sound excited but he sighed inwardly. A museum? Seriously? Where was the fun in that?

Takahiro sat back in his chair. Although they were going to have bonding time, he still wanted Misaki to talk to Usagi-san some more. The man would be a good influence on him.

"What do you think about meeting more with Usagi-san?"

Misaki bolted up from his seat. "No, no, that's fine." He flapped his hand up and down, waving Takahiro off. "Really, don't worry about me. It'll just inconvenience him."

"Nonsense. He liked you. He told me himself. "

Misaki felt his eyebrow twitch. Of course he would say that.

"And actually," Takahiro continued, scratching his head sheepishly, "I've already talked to him about it. He's coming over in a couple days."

_Oh great. _More time with the pervert. Just what he needs.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, I have school and stuff…"

"Only for tomorrow. That's your last day then you go on break for a couple weeks for the holidays."

Misaki racked his brain to come up with another excuse. He couldn't think of one in time.

"I want you guys to get to know each other." He reached out to grab Misaki's hand. "And he really seemed taken to you. Don't worry. And obviously, you like him too, right?"

"Er… yeah. Sure."

"Perfect then!"

* * *

A day had passed, and then it was Saturday. The day Usagi-san was coming. All morning, Misaki was shut up in his room. He wasn't doing anything in particular, just thinking. He lay on the bed, he lay sideways on his chair, and he lay on the ground. Unproductive, really, but he couldn't think properly unless he was horizontal.

Usagi-san was coming to see him today. All morning his palms were sweaty and his heart was racing in anticipation. He didn't like how he was affected so much by just the mere thought of him. But he wasn't excited to see him. No, not excited at all. More like terrified.

Yes, terrified. That was it.

Deciding he should at least change out of his pajamas—after all, he couldn't let Usagi-san see him wearing sleep clothes; the perverted man might get ideas— Misaki dragged himself out of his supine position and went to his closet.

He pulled the coat hangers back and forth over the bar a few times, rifling through his options. There wasn't much to choose from; he really didn't have many clothes. Let's see… a brown shirt, a black shirt, a blue shirt… Misaki rejected every color.

Resigned with the fact that he had nothing to wear, Misaki fell back onto his bed. Everything was all faded, anyway. Too many wearings and washings had sapped out all pigment. What was left was a sad imitation of color. He wanted to impress Usagi-san, not show him his exhausted wardrobe.

He sat up on the bed. Why did it even matter what Usagi-san thought of him? It's not like his opinion actually means anything. He didn't like the man. He should be _hoping _to turn him off.

Takahiro had never been able to afford the newest styles, and Misaki had never cared. If he asked his brother, Misaki knew that he would get new clothes, but they really didn't have the money. It wasn't worth the money, but at that moment Misaki wished that he had at least one nice shirt.

Telling himself that he didn't care, Misaki went over and pulled out a random shirt from his closet.

It's not like it mattered, anyway.

* * *

Akihiko got out of the shower and dried off. He wanted to be clean and fresh for Misaki. The boy always smelled so good; he wanted his own body to smell good too.

Walking into his closet, he pulled out one of his dress shirts and buttoned it up his chest. After that came his tie. He wrapped it around his neck and tied the knot. The whole process was so routine that he didn't even need a mirror.

In fact, life as a whole had become too routine. Every day was the same. Wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed. It was all so boring. Absolutely unstimulating.

Then there was Misaki. The boy had burst into his life only a few days ago. And yet, he was already entranced. Akihiko felt as though he needed to know everything about him. He wanted to know what he looked like in the morning, what he ate for breakfast, what made him happy, sad, and worried. He wanted to know what body part he washed first in the shower and what he looked like naked. He wanted to know if the skin on his tender belly and thighs was as soft as he imagined it to be.

The feeling was very intense, almost obsessive. Since they had last parted, Misaki was all Akihiko could think about, the only thing he wanted to think about. Everything else—his career, his reputation, his family— had lost meaning.

But Misaki was something special, something he had to have.

**I feel like my writing style has changed a lot for this chapter. I've been told before that the way I write is easy to understand, and now I'm worried that nobody will know what I'm talking about anymore.**

**If you understood what I was trying to convey with my awkward (but I feel more literary) sentences that are FAR from grammatically correct, please give me reassurance. I like the way I wrote this, but if it's confusing I will go back to my old writing style.**


	6. Chapter 6

**In honor of the wonderful Scriverane, I am changing it so that regions are not all of the way across Japan, but only in Tokyo. It's not that different, so I don't think that you will be confused, but if you are even the slightest bit, tell me and I will be MORE than happy to clear up any confusion.**

**Just so you know, because I think some people are confused, the peace meetings take place in the Region Three headquarters because it is in the center of Tokyo. **

**Chapter Six**

It didn't take Akihiko long to get over the border into Region Three. There were guards posted as usual, but they all knew and liked him.

After a short conversation with the men, Akihiko took off straight to the Takahashi's apartment. He remembered right where it was. It was located in a rather downtrodden neighborhood just to the east of the Region Three headquarters. Like most things constructed in Tokyo, the exterior was reinforced with metal.

It made him sad to see the place where Misaki lived. The building was gray, cold, and unassuming. He doubted the boy liked it. Misaki deserved to live in a place of color and warmth, a place that made him feel good inside. He could give Misaki that place; he _wanted_ to give it to him.

These thoughts shocked him. He had never before felt such a strong connection to someone; not even Takahiro had aroused these feelings. Never before had he wanted another person's head on his pillows. Never before had he wanted someone else sleeping between his sheets. Never before had he wanted to wake up in the morning to see another's sleeping form next to him. The intensity of it all scared him.

Before Akihiko could continue his fantasy, Takahiro opened the door.

"Ah, Usagi-san!" He motioned for him to come inside. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course." He reached out to give Takahiro a hug. When he easily let go, he realized that Takahiro's touch didn't send tingles down his spine like it used to. A week ago he would have extended the hug just to prolong the contact, but now… Takahiro's embrace just didn't have the same effect.

"I know that Misaki is excited to see you," Takahiro continued, leading him into the kitchen. "He's been in his room all day. No doubt he's waiting for you."

"Waiting? You think?"

Takahiro nodded. "Yeah, he gets so red whenever I mention you. It's so cute." He opened a cupboard and took out a cup. "Would you like some tea?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I should go talk to Misaki." _Should_? No, more like want, or need to talk to him.

Takahiro chuckled and apologized for keeping him.

Akihiko bowed slightly and left the kitchen. He remembered exactly where Misaki's room was. The apartment was small: the ceilings were low and the walkways were narrow. The enclosed spaces weren't to his tastes, but it was clean and comfortable, completely unlike his own penthouse loft.

The door was ajar. He knocked slightly.

"Misaki?"

When there was no answer, he pushed slightly and peeked inside. The boy was asleep on the bed, curled over on his side.

He kneeled next to the bed and rested his chin on the sheets. How adorable, Akihiko thought.

Misaki's mouth was parted slightly. Drool dripped out the corner of his lips, creating a wet spot on his pillow.

"Misaki," he breathed. He didn't really want to wake him; he just wanted to feel the name on his lips.

The boy groaned softly and reached out his arm. Akihiko kissed one of his outstretched fingers. It was warm and soft under his lips.

He wanted more. His body ached with the need to touch the boy. Just touch him, get their bodies in contact with one another. It didn't need to be sexual, just warm and close.

The bed was small, but it would fit them both. He walked over to the foot of the bed and crawled on. The sheets were soft as his legs and palms slid over the fabric.

Soon, his body was aligned parallel with Misak.

"Miasaki," he whispered again. The boy didn't budge.

Only one pillow fit on the small bed. Akihiko dropped down onto the part of it that wasn't covered by Misaki's head. Like this, with the boy's back touching Akihiko's chest, it was almost like they were lovers, spooned in unbreakable embrace. To further his fantasy, he brought his arm around Misaki's waist, pulling the boy closer.

Their whole bodies were touching now. Akihiko felt a warmth and calmness overcome him, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time. He didn't want to ever let go.

Misaki stirred as he tried to stretch out of his arms. Akihiko just held him tighter, restricting the boy's movements. The sleeping boy relaxed after a moment.

It smelled so good there, like freshness and Misaki's own special scent mixed together. He nuzzled his face into the neck in front of him, then took another deep breath and let it melt into his lungs.

The smell was more concentrated in his hair. Akihiko dug his nose into the brown locks, trying to get closer. It wasn't enough; he still wanted more.

The pressure of their bodies lying next to each other coupled with the scent in his nose aroused Akihiko. He could feel the blood flowing hot and heavy between his legs. He pressed it against the boy's butt.

"Misaki…" His lips moved over the neck in front of him. It was soft. He did it again.

The next time he was more daring. As he closed his mouth over Misaki's skin, he let his lips slide slowly, poking his tongue out to allow himself a small taste. Of course, it wasn't enough, it could never be enough, but for now it would do.

The wet lips on his neck tickled Misaki. He raised his arm to rub the area, but halfway up he froze. Opening his eyes, he saw a large arm wrapped over his chest.

Instinctively he rolled over, trying to get away. There wasn't much room left on the bed, and he fell onto the ground with a _thud._

Akihiko jumped up to a kneeling position, staring down over the edge of the bed.

"Misaki, shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you fall."

The boy was sprawled out on the floor, eyes clenched. Akihiko stood and held out a hand.

Misaki didn't reach out to take it. He just lay still, trying not to move.

There was a pounding coming down the hallway before the door burst open.

"Misaki!" Takahiro widened his eyes. He rushed over and hoisted the boy up under his arms. He set him down gently on the bed. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Akihiko took a step forward. "He fell."

Takahiro rubbed his brother's shoulder. "You need to be more careful."

Misaki lowered his eyes, ashamed. "No, I didn't fall, exactly. I just… I was sleeping… And then something was in my bed, it was holding me back." He rubbed his head. "Maybe it was my imagination. I don't know. Something just startled me, I guess. I'm sorry."

Takahiro looked to Akihiko. "Did you see anything?"

He played innocent. "No, I was just sitting in that chair waiting for him to wake up. Suddenly he yelped and fell out of bed."

"Misaki," Takahiro whispered, looking back at his brother, "You need to be more careful. You could hurt yourself." He smoothed back Misaki's hair and spoke lower. "Did you have a dream?"

Misaki shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, Nii-chan. I just… I'm sorry." He looked down at the carpet.

Takahiro kissed his brother's forehead. "Don't worry. It's okay." He stood up and smiled, clearing the tense atmosphere. "I made tea. You guys can have some if you want."

He led them out to the kitchen, where a small pot was steaming on the stove.

"I have to go out for a few hours." He picked up a bag sitting beside the microwave. "I have some business to take care of"—he turned to Akihiko— "but you are welcome to stay however long you wish."

He bowed slightly and then left. Once he was gone, the air was thick and awkward.

Misaki coughed. "Would you like some tea?"

Akihiko smiled brightly, trying to ease the boy. "Yes, thank you very much."

Hearing the man's voice sent shivers down Misaki's spine. It was as if the words went through his ears and directly down into the chest. There was a wild pulsing inside of him as his heart fluttered.

He avoided Akihiko's eyes as he walked over to a cabinet. He reached inside and pulled out two cups.

Red covered his face. This was so embarrassing. "Sorry, but I haven't done the dishes yet today." He set them down on the counter. "They don't match." He made sure to give Akihiko the unchipped one.

"Don't worry about it, Misaki."

He looked up into the man's eyes. Too late he realized his mistake. Bursting purple irises stared directly at him. It made his heart race and his palms sweat. The man had beautiful eyes.

Trying not to stare, he quickly turned around and picked up the teapot. Steam wafted upwards as he poured.

"Do you know why your brother wanted me to come?"

Misaki shook his head.

"He thinks that you have been troubled lately."

The boy forced his head up. "I'm not troubled." Why did his voice sound so unsure?

"He says that your grades are dropping and that you've been acting up."

"Oh." Misaki chewed his lips. He didn't mean to make his brother worry.

"He doesn't think he's been enough of a parent figure towards you."

Misaki put down his cup. "That's not true."

"Maybe not. I think you're perfect just the way you are." Misaki blushed. "But he thinks that I'll be a good influence on you."

"I'm not a child."

Akihiko looked him up and down. No, Misaki _definitely_ wasn't a child. He wanted the boy with such passion that he could imagine it now… Them in bed together. Surely, it would be greater than anything he had felt before. He licked his lips. "Trust me. I know."

There was such smoldering heat in his words that Misaki had to look up. The man's eyes were burning with heat. It made him weak in the knees.

He coughed. "A few minutes ago… Was it you?" Misaki took a sip of tea.

"Was what me?"

Misaki couldn't breathe. "You know, in bed…"

"Was I in bed with you? Yes. Why? You want to go back there?" Akihiko smirked.

Misaki's hair stood on end. "No, no," he waved his hands in front of him, trying to create a barrier between them. "I'm perfectly fine in here." He took a step back and stared at the tile, grinding his teeth.

As much as it bothered him, he had to admit, a small part of him wanted to take Usagi-san up on his offer. He wanted to go back to his room. Wanted to be covered by the man's heat and strength.

He stopped those thoughts in their tracks. Men didn't do that stuff to other men.

"Maybe you should leave." Misaki forced the words out of his lips.

"Takahiro wanted us to spend time together."

There was a long silence as both men thought of what to say.

Akihiko spoke first. "If you want, you can come to my place."

Misaki looked up, surprised. "I don't know. I don't think Nii-chan would want me leaving."

"He wouldn't mind. He trusts me."

"But—"

"It's decided then." Akihiko interrupted. "Grab your coat. It's cold outside."

Misaki frowned but did as he was told. Nii-chan really couldn't be angry. It wasn't as if he was doing anything wrong. Yet, he still felt like he shouldn't leave their region. They didn't go into "enemy territory" very often, and when they did Takahiro kept a close eye on him.

But if Usagi-san was with him, then it'd be safe. Usagi-san wouldn't let anything happen to him.

* * *

It had snowed the night before, leaving the ground covered in a white blanket. It looked like it would be soft, but it crunched under his boots. The cold seeped through the soles, freezing his toes. He really should get new winter boots; they were just so damn expensive for something you wear only a few months out of the year.

He looked up at the sound of Usagi-san clearing his throat.

"My apartment is near the edge of the border. It's not too far away, maybe only another fifteen minutes."

"Oh," Misaki replied quietly. He tried to imagine the place where Akihiko lived. He bet it was big and nice looking. Probably had a nice heating system too.

The wind suddenly gusted harder. It bit into his skin, sucking the warmth from his body. He shivered.

Akihiko stopped walking. "You're cold."

Misaki smiled. "I'm fine." No need to make him worry.

"You mean that you're cold."

"Really, Usagi-san, I'm fine." Misaki waved him off and began to walk again.

Akihiko quickly caught up to him. He draped his arm over the boy.

Feeling the weight on his shoulders, Misaki stiffened.

"I was going to give you my jacket, but you wouldn't have taken it. My arm can keep you warm instead."

Misaki looked down and blushed. He thought about pulling away and yelling something about his personal bubble, but he didn't. Usagi-san's arm felt nice wrapped around his shoulder. It was warm and heavy. Comforting. He decided that he liked it there.

**I'm messed up. I'm a total pervert.**

**But hey, at least we can all be perverts together.**

**If you have any suggestions, please give me ideas. I feel writers block coming on, so give me something to work with. Unless, of course, you want more fluff/sexy times. Which is good too, but I'm just worried about crossing the M rating.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I assume that if you read the manga you are okay with reading M rated material, so this is a warning that I am moving the rating up… Nothing too explicit though I hope. :) **

**I know that this doesn't follow the same plot line in the manga of how Misaki and Usagi's relationship progresses. I hope it doesn't bother you.**

**Chapter Seven**

Akihiko was staring, and he knew it was wrong. But he couldn't resist. Misaki was the only thing he could see. The only thing he _wanted_ to see.

Misaki was just so cute sitting there on the couch. He was looking down, fussing with a loose string on his shirt.

Akihiko would have been content to just watch Misaki, but he knew that probably wasn't a good idea. The more he watched the boy, the more he wanted to move closer and touch him. The urge was hard to fight.

He settled for conversation. Small talk was better than nothing.

"So, what do you do for fun?"

Misaki was caught off guard by the sudden question. He scratched his head. "I like reading…"

Now this Akihiko could work with. "Have you ever read any of my books?"

Misaki waved his hands back and fourth, slightly embarrassed. "Ah, no, not exactly. I read manga. My favorite is _The Kan_. Not real books."

_Oh. _Akihiko frowned.

Normally, he didn't give a shit whether or not people had read his novels. But he wanted Misaki to have read them. Not because he cared about his literary recognition, but because maybe then Misaki would be impressed.

_Stupid_, he thought. Misaki wouldn't like him more just because he was a distinguished novelist.

"But Nii-chan told me that you won a really big award recently," Misaki said, trying to make up for his unfamiliarity.

Akihiko smiled softly. "Yeah, the Naomori Award."

Misaki waited for him to elaborate. But Akihiko just sat there quietly looking at him, making no move to continue the conversation.

Finally, the boy was forced to fill the silence.

"Well, it seems like a big deal to me. You were pretty young compared to the other recipients. So you must be good." _Oh God, was he rambling?_ "And I know a lot of people who really liked your last book. I was gonna read it, but never actually got around to it." Misaki forced himself to stop talking.

Akihiko pulled a small box from his pocket and lit up a cigarette. Maybe some nicotine would calm his urge to take the boy.

"It's okay. The awards don't mean much. The books either." He took a drag and breathed it out, watching as the smoke floated to the ceiling. "What else do you like to do?"

"Um… I like taking walks?"

"Yeah, like the night we met. You were more running though, I guess. You know what would happen if a guard had caught you, right?" He asked it nonchalantly, as if he really didn't care. But he did care. He cared a lot.

Misaki looked away, his cheeks flushing. "My brother already yelled at me."

"I could have killed you." He breathed out another smoke cloud.

Misaki clenched his jaw.

"It would have been easy. You were unprotected—"

"I had a gun."

"— and alone." Akihiko tapped his fingers against his leg. "It's easy to sneak past the borders and guards. Anyone with half a brain could do it." His words got angrier, pouring out his mouth in a quick rush. "The others may not be bombing and raiding right now, but they sure as hell aren't below kidnapping a boy for leverage. What would happen then? To yourself? Takahiro?"

Misaki ground his teeth. "What happens to me isn't your problem."

Akihiko was stunned silent. Not his problem? In what universe was Misaki not his problem?

Angry, he surged off the couch and marched to stand in front of Misaki. He leaned down and rested his hands on both sides of the boy's head, looming over him.

Like this, so close to him, Akihiko could smell Misaki's scent. It drew him down, compelling him to take another breath. The boy was too precious, too cute, and too loved. He wouldn't allow Misaki to put himself in that situation ever again.

Akihiko clenched his fists. He wasn't angry that Misaki had actually gone out after dark; he was angry that the boy didn't understand _why_ he couldn't go out.

"You will not risk your life like that again."

Misaki narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't risking my life. I had a gun."

"That's not how it works."

Misaki glared back defiantly. That defiance made Akihiko want to take him down. To show him exactly who was stronger, who was the bigger man.

Before Misaki could gasp, the man was on him. A hand tangled in his hair, pulling his head back.

"You are mine, Misaki," he growled, only inches away. "Don't forget. _Mine_."

Then, his lips sunk down to claim Misaki's.

It wasn't gentle like Akihiko wanted it to be. He was planning on their first real kiss to be sweet and tender, just enough so that Misaki could get used to the pleasure. But once his lips hit home, Akihiko just couldn't help himself. His lips pressed down voraciously, holding back nothing.

Misaki hands fought against Akihiko's grip as he arched against him. He knew he should be struggling, but he couldn't. He didn't want to be free from the sensations that wracked his body at the man's touch. Instead, he was straining closer, needing more of the heat, power, and pleasure.

He fought back the need and his urge to submit.

"What are you…" he managed to gasp out, trying to ignore the tongue licking at his lips. "Why are you doing this?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Akihiko replied coolly, leaning in for another kiss.

Misaki moved his hands down to the man's chest, intending to push him away. But once he pressed his palms against the warm and firm body… he couldn't. Against his better judgment he gripped the man closer. It just felt too good to let go.

"This isn't right…" he protested weakly. Even as he said it, he could feel his nails biting into Akihiko's shoulders, pulling him down. But he couldn't let himself feel this. He needed to fight it. "You know this isn't fair. We can't do this."

"Why do you say that?" Amusement and desire coated his voice. "And Misaki, it's pretty clear that you want me too." He unbuttoned Misaki's pants, grabbed under the hem of his boxers and pulled them down to his knees. "Why, just look at this!" He pointedly gazed down at Misaki's exposed erection. "You're so hard here already. And you're rubbing yourself so urgently against me. It just makes me want you more."

Misaki froze. He thought that he had been hiding his responses to Akihiko's touch. Apparently not…

Akihiko lightly pushed the boy down flat, inching up his shirt to reveal the boy's stomach. His ribs were a little prominent under his skin, too thin for his age. But the thought left as fast as it came.

Misaki groaned. It just felt way too good.

"Usagi-san…" His voice broke as he felt the man's tongue find his navel. "Usagi-san, I don't think this is a good idea."

Big hands pulled his legs open wide, lips running over the inside of his thigh. A soft kiss was pressed against the tender flesh there.

"Usagi-san, this isn't right…"

He abruptly engulfed Misaki's length in his mouth, sucking, savoring the flavor. The boy arched off the couch at the sight of the silver head moving low between his legs, large shoulders bunched up under his knees. Akihiko looked huge compared to his own thin and white body.

He suddenly felt very self-conscious.

Seizing a hunk of Akihiko's hair, he jerked the man away from between his legs.

Purple eyes stared at him, glistening with sensuality and the promise of sex as the man breathed through open, shiny lips. Purposefully, he sucked the lower one between his teeth. He then slid his tongue slowly over the upper one.

Misaki watched, melting, throbbing.

"We can't do this," he rasped.

"Why not?" He ran his fingers over Misaki's sex, dipping into the beading liquid at the tip, spreading it over the boy's sensitive skin. "It doesn't feel good?"

"Doesn't matter how it feels, it's just…"

Akihiko moved his thumb over a vein. "If it feels good, don't stop me." He began to lower his head back down, but Misaki's legs clenched closed.

He frowned. "Misaki, I want to touch you."

The boy shook his head and began to withdraw, but Akihiko's palm shot out and pushed him back down.

"We aren't finished."

"Yes, we are." The words were weak and unsure. Misaki had to hold back a groan as Akihiko gripped his shaft and squeezed it up and down. Flames pulsed over his skin, burning him, making him ache with need.

"Misaki, don't fight me." Akihiko lowered his head and kissed Misaki's belly, nuzzling the flesh with his nose and mouth. "You're so soft, so warm, and you taste so good. Please, let me do this." He looked up through Misaki's legs, unashamedly pleading.

In return, Misaki slumped his shoulders and turned his head away, clenched his eyes.

"Misaki?"

"I can't… When you're this close to me… I can't think straight."

Akihiko frowned. "Thinking isn't necessary." He licked a trail leading to Misaki's navel. "Just feel. Feel me, feel us." He pressed down a kiss, only to open his lips and suck. "Nice, isn't it?"

Misaki could feel himself losing the power he had over his body. He wanted to lean back and give Akihiko control. It would feel so good…

But he couldn't let that happen.

"Please, don't do this."

Akihiko ignored him and gripped his thighs tightly, pushing them forward until Misaki's ass was up in the air.

When the cool air hit his exposed lower back and bottom, Misaki froze.

Fuzz blurred his vision as his heart accelerated. He suddenly couldn't breathe… everything was too naked and too open. He wasn't ready; he needed it to slow down.

The man didn't notice Misaki's panic. Instead, he took the silence as encouragement.

Smiling, he brought his hand down to fondle Misaki's erection. Before his fingers made contact, Misaki lost it.

A loud scream left his throat as he began to thrash about in wild directions, his legs and arms whipping around. He didn't know what he was doing; panic had clouded his senses until he only knew that he had to get out of there.

Akihiko saw a foot whiz by his head, narrowly missing his jaw. He backed away.

"Misaki! Stop!"

The boy continued to thrash, oblivious to Akihiko's words.

"Misaki!" he tried again. He shot out a hand to catch a flailing leg. It jerked around in his grip. He hollered over the screams, "You have to stop this!"

He caught the other leg midair and yanked it down to lie flat on the couch. He didn't want to scare Misaki, but the boy was going to hurt himself. And if there was something Akihiko was never going to do, it was allow Misaki to get hurt.

He pulled himself farther up the bed, covering and restraining Misaki with his own body.

"Misaki," he said softer, trying to soothe him.

The boy struggled underneath him, but Akihiko's hands and body easily mastered the jerky movements.

"Shhh, I'm right here. It's okay."

He watched as the boy's breathing calmed down. Soon, he was laying still, eyes shut tightly. His chest and face were still flushed, but it was better.

"Misaki?" he asked gently.

No reply.

"Misaki… Are you okay?" He moved a hand from its restraining place on the boy's wrist up to his hair. He stroked the brown locks softly.

Misaki stirred but didn't open his eyes.

A phone rang from the kitchen. Akihiko let it go to voicemail. He wasn't about to leave Misaki.

A minute later it rang again.

Akihiko cursed and got up from the couch.

"Yeah," he snarled into the phone. He was in no mood to talk to whoever was stupid enough to call him.

"Usagi-san!" It was Takahiro. "Where is my brother?"

Akihiko winced. Takahiro rarely, if ever, got angry. But when it came to his brother, the man didn't joke around.

He tried to calm his voice. "He's with me. I took him to my condo to—"

"Why didn't you tell me, leave a note, anything? I've been so worried!"

"I'm sorry." Akihiko didn't know what else to say.

"Well… as long as he is with you… I guess it's fine. But next time tell me."

"Um," he glanced over at Misaki sleeping on the couch, "I'm kinda in the middle of something…"

"Oh, you and Misaki are playing? Talking?"

"Something like that."

"Okay, but as soon as you're done bring him back. Or I can come pick him up. Not too late though, 'cause we're having dinner soon. I have something to tell you guys."

Akihiko agreed and didn't question. He was just glad that Takahiro was back to his normal bubbly self. It wouldn't work to have the man mad at him, especially if he wanted to continue pursuing Misaki.

Once they hung up, Akihiko filled a glass with water.

"Misaki," he called as he walked over, trying to rouse the boy. He set the cup down on the coffee table. "Misaki, wake up. I brought you some water."

Misaki groaned and rolled onto his side, curling up into a ball.

_Maybe I should just let him sleep_, Akihiko thought. He wasn't sure if he could even face Misaki after what happened, after causing him so much pain. Surely, Misaki would hate him.

Akihiko sunk down to his knees and covered his face with his palms, trying to ignore the ache that had settled in his chest. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

* * *

Something hit Akihiko, jolting him awake.

Stunned, he looked around, only to see Misaki still sleeping behind him on the couch. His eyes were still closed, but something was wrong. He was jerking back and fourth, hands tightly clenched onto the fabric under him.

His mouth opened, took a few gasps. He moaned low in his chest. "No... stop…"

Akihiko took a few deep breaths. Misaki was probably having a nightmare about his assault. He mentally hit himself for being so stupid; he might have ruined everything.

"Misaki," he whispered, unsure of whether or not he should try to wake him up. The boy looked distressed, but it was undoubtedly a bad idea for his face to be the first thing Misaki saw.

But then, Misaki bowed off the couch, screaming loud and high. The noise was ear-splitting, absolutely terrifying.

Akihiko immediately shook him viciously. He didn't care if it was a "bad idea" to wake him. Whatever hell he was facing inside his head couldn't be better than reality.

The boy opened his eyes, gasping wildly.

"Misaki," he whispered as he backed away. Now that the boy was awake, there was no need to be so close. Akihiko didn't want to scare him further. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Misaki sat up, gripping the edges of the couch. He frantically looked around and tried to place himself.

"It's okay," Akihiko said grimly. "You don't have to be afraid." He dragged a hand through his hair and grabbed a chunk, fighting the urge to rip it out.

But Misaki didn't hear the man's words. The adrenaline was pumping too fast through his body for him to process what was happening. He began to shake violently, his breathing thin and rapid. "Usagi-san, I… I'm sorry…. I didn't mean to…"

Akihiko threw his hands to the floor, trying not to glare. Why was the boy apologizing?

Takahiro once told him that Misaki would do this. Of course, he wasn't listening very well— as usual when his friend talked about his younger brother— but he still remembered. Ever since their parents had died, Misaki would go out of his way to ensure that he wasn't a burden.

"Misaki, don't say that. You didn't do anything wrong." He tried to keep his voice calm. It didn't work.

"No, I just…" Misaki fell back on the couch and looked away, wiping at his eyes with a sleeve. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I've had bad dreams for a while now."

Akihiko didn't understand. Wasn't Misaki the least bit concerned that he was practically sexually assaulted? And now he was apologizing for _falling asleep_? This made no sense. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you know…"

"No, I actually don't. You weren't dreaming about me?"

Misaki gawked. "What? No! Baka-Usagi, don't get a big head! I didn't want you to see me have a nightmare. I scream and stuff. It's horribly embarrassing."

Akihiko stared, unable to keep his heart under control. Misaki was just so cute. Even in his blatant shame and awkwardness, the boy was just the most adorable thing ever. Akihiko felt desire rise inside of him, but he pushed it back down. It was definitely _not_ a good time to get all touchy feely. Not that there would ever be a good time ever again, especially considering that Misaki was obviously distressed about the events of the past few hours.

"Don't worry about it." Akihiko looked at the ceiling, knowing what he had to talk about. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "About what happened earlier… I shouldn't have done it."

But Misaki shook his head and blushed. "I think I might have overreacted. I don't' know what happened to me. I just sort of blanked out. I'm sorry."

"Well, obviously—"

"Can we just not talk about it?"

The phone rang again from the kitchen.

Akihiko cursed. It was probably Takahiro. It'd been at least six hours since they last talked. He wanted Misaki back for dinner, but it was way too late now. He walked over to pick up.

"Hey, Takahiro," he said hesitantly.

Nothing could have braced him for the loud shrieking from the receiver.

* * *

**I hope you're okay with a slightly possessive and dominating Akihiko. I know I am… ;) Teehee.**

**And also Misaki had a freak out. I know he didn't do that in the manga, but I know that if I was in his situation, I would have had a panic attack. **

**I am VERY uncomfortable with this chapter and actually debated completely re-writing/re-plotting it. It was awkward and kinda dragged on. But I felt that this was necessary to happen because Akihiko is practically a sex maniac and just couldn't resist, even though Misaki wasn't ready. Next one will be better, I promise!**

**Please tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I got many wonderful reviews last chapter and every single literally made me squeal with happiness, so thank you very much!**

**Chapter Eight**

Akihiko threw his coat over the back of a chair, avoiding Takahiro's glare. The man was mad at him, and for good reason.

"Again, Takahiro, I'm sorry."

Takahiro huffed and rolled his eyes, but then grinned playfully. "Fine, it's not like I can actually stay mad at you. Just try to get Misaki home on time, please? Is that too much to ask?" When his brother stepped out of the entranceway, he broadened his smile. "And then who could ever be mad at my Misaki?"

Akihiko felt himself twitch in annoyance at those words. Misaki _wasn't_ Takahiro's. If anything, Misaki was…

No. Misaki wasn't his. As much as he wanted the boy, he had already been rejected. A few harmless touches and suddenly Misaki was flipping out unconscious. Okay, maybe they weren't completely harmless, but still, if that wasn't rejection, he didn't know what was.

But that didn't mean that things wouldn't change. In fact, Akihiko was determined that he would eventually make Misaki accept him as both a friend and a lover.

He walked over to the boy and rested a hand on his brown hair, ruffling it a bit. "No, that's just not possible. The prospect of anyone being mad at Misaki is simply inconceivable," Akihiko played, noticing the blush rising on the boy's face.

As much as it bothered Misaki, he actually liked Akihiko's hand on his head. It was strong and very large, a little cold but comforting at the same time.

Awkwardly, he forced himself to step away. "I'm gonna go take off my jacket."

Before he could make an escape, Takahiro grabbed his shoulder. "Wait, I have something to tell you."

"Did you forget to take the papers to the Hayati firm again? You really can't keep forgetting things like this." Misaki tapped his foot petulantly. "If you screw up much more you might lose your job. We can hardly pay the bills as it is, you can't afford—"

"No, no! I didn't forget the papers!" Takahiro said desperately, flushing. "I just… There's something I want to tell you guys. Er, rather, there's someone I want you to meet."

A small woman stepped into the room, grabbing their attentions.

* * *

Akihiko gripped the steering wheel of his sports car, feeling his hands cramping with the force. He tried to loosen up, but couldn't. It almost hurt more to let go than to keep holding on.

A tightening in his chest forced him to grit his teeth.

Minami, Takahiro's fiancé.

_Fiancé_.

Such a vile word. A word that should never have been associated with Takahiro.

But yet, at the same time, an itty-bitty part of him was relieved.

When Takahiro first announced his engagement, Akihiko had been shocked silent. Of course, after a few deep breaths, he was able to put on a happy façade, but it was all just a show. At that time, he could only comprehend the utter pain that destroyed his senses, but now… the ache had lessened. Lessened quite a bit, actually.

It still hurt, but not nearly as much. In fact, he was almost happy for his friend. As much as he hated to admit it, Minami was nice. Very cute. A good match for Takahiro. Takahiro deserved to be in love.

A month ago, this news would have killed him. But now, something had changed. Although he still loved Takahiro, the feelings were different. It was a different type of love than before.

Something else had wormed its way into his heart. He smiled when he realized what it was.

Misaki.

The love that suddenly swelled in his heart was too much to bear, making dampness flood his vision. Trying to stop the tears from spilling over, Akihiko breathed deeply and closed his eyes.

There was nobody else on the road. It was well past regional curfew— not that many people went out at night anyway. Because it was safer to drive at night than to walk, they took the car. Otherwise, Akihiko would have liked to walk, maybe hold hands a little, and possibly even drape an arm over the boy's shoulder. But once darkness fell, there was no way he would take Misaki out on the streets, no way he would risk such a valuable life.

And how could he not treasure Misaki? Misaki was just so… so… Akihiko couldn't think of the right word.

Sure, there were a lot of words that would describe Misaki, like cute, sweet, beautiful, kind. Maybe even a little dainty, or a little fragile.

But none of those words adequately conveyed just how exquisite Misaki really was.

Ah, yes, _exquisite_. That was the word Akihiko was looking for.

Everything about him was simply exquisite, from his thin, lithe form to the smooth skin of his face and body. Misaki was perfect.

Thinking of him like this, Akihiko got a sudden acute urge to see Misaki, to talk to him. It was so strong that it was almost painful. He wanted to gather the boy up in his arms and spread kisses all over his body. After that, he wanted to lick a trail all the way down his stomach. _All the way down. _Once Misaki was in his mouth, he would be shown him just how precious he was.

The delicious images continued, each one getting more and more intense, causing a tightening in his pants. He shifted around to make room, but the friction only worsened the problem.

_Damn. _Now was not the time to get all hot and bothered.

His erection ignored all mental protests, growing firmer and more heated with every second. There were so many things he wanted do to Misaki, so many things that Misaki would really enjoy.

But he couldn't think like that. If the images didn't stop, surely an unstoppable force would take over his body, making him turn abound and drive back. Takahiro would be suspicious if he returned just to see Misaki.

But there were other ways to relieve the worst of his urges.

Eager to alleviate the pain growing between his legs, he pressed down on the gas pedal.

He slowed down slightly for the border guards. They knew him well, and although all passers were supposed to be checked for weapons and other suspicious items, Akihiko was let by with only a friendly wave.

After that, it was only a short ride back to his condo. Akihiko quickly parked and ran up the steps.

It took several tries to get the key to enter the lock, but finally it gave way. The door slammed shut behind him as he threw everything on the ground to scramble into his room. The need for Misaki hurt more now. He never knew that wanting another person could hurt so badly.

Pants were quickly unbuttoned and dropped to the floor.

"Misaki…" he moaned, falling on the bed and palming his erection.

As he stroked himself, Akihiko pictured everything he wanted to do to the boy and the faces he would receive in response. His vivid imagination quickly led to his release. It felt good—as it always did— but something was missing.

Tired, he decided not to contemplate it and rolled over, trying to ignore the ache in between his arms where a certain brown haired boy would fit perfectly.

* * *

Akihiko hefted his bag onto his shoulder as he stood up from his car. It was colder out than normal. Sure, it was winter and it was always cold, but today was different. It smelled humid and earthy, like rain, and although clouds thickly blanketed the sky, they were white and fluffy. Not grey and low.

Maybe a storm is moving in, he thought as he pulled open the door to the Region Three headquarters. He hoped not. Rain was always so… wet. Wet and cold. But then again, in England, the place he grew up, precipitation was a common occurance. A predisposition to dislike rain was in his blood.

As he entered the doorway into the meeting room, he saw Takahiro sitting in a chair, tense and rather nervous looking.

When Akihiko came into view, he perked up and got to his feet.

"Usagi-san," he called, trotting over.

"Hey."

"Um, can we talk before the meeting starts?"

Akihiko stilled mid-stride. They always talked _after_ the meeting, never _before_. He gulped loudly. Misaki must have confessed about the rather indecent acts he had attempted to commit. Not that any of them worked in the end, but still… the intention was there.

He nodded and took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for Takahiro's rage. It was unlikely that his friend would take kindly to Misaki being molested— not that Akihiko called it that. The word molestation seemed so loveless and cruel. No, he preferred to think of it as 'showing his affection' or 'bonding.'

But instead of yelling, Takahiro just took his bag and pulled him over into their corner. He put it against the wall and sat down.

"Usagi-san, I have something to ask you."

"…Okay?" Akihiko said nervously, still standing up. When all hell broke loose, he wanted to be able to make a quick getaway.

"Well, you see, I have a favor to ask you."

_A favor?_

Well, this was unexpected.

Or maybe this was all part of Takahiro's ploys: pretend to be all happy and suppliant, and then unexpectedly break out in rage. Well, the plan wasn't going to work.

Akihiko moved behind the chair, creating a barrier.

Takahiro sighed desperately. "You know how much I hate to ask things of you, but I'm really in a jam."

Akihiko narrowed his eyes, examined the man, and then relaxed slightly.

His friend didn't seem angry, and he doubted that Takahiro could act even remotely at peace if he thought that Misaki had been sexually assaulted.

The man was so damn protective of his brother. In a way, Akihiko was glad that Takahiro was like that. Misaki was too trusting and way too cute; he needed to be looked after. But Akihiko wanted to be the one protecting Misaki. He wanted to be the one that Misaki leaned on for strength.

"I was wondering if you could do something for me. It'd really mean a lot if you could help out with this."

"Sure, anything."

"Are you free next Friday?"

Akihiko bit his lip. Normally, he would do anything for Takahiro, but he really needed to finish writing his novel. A few weeks ago, he would have dropped his manuscript into a paper shredder to come to Takahiro's beacon and call, but now… he didn't feel that compulsion. Besides, he was already a few weeks late, and his editor would have an aneurism if it wasn't completed by the extension date.

"Well, I'm not really free… I mean, there's something I kinda have to do. But if it's urgent whatever you need is fine."

"No that's okay. I was just hoping for Misaki, but he'll understand. I told him—"

"Wait! Misaki?"

"Yeah, I told him that I would—"

"Well, if it's for Misaki then I'll do it."

"No, don't put yourself out if you're busy. Besides, you don't even know what I was going to ask."

"Doesn't matter. I'll do it." _I'll do anything for Misaki._

Takahiro looked skeptical. "Are you sure? I don't want to tell him that you can do it, but then have you fall out at the last minute."

"I would never do that to him," he said gravely.

"Okay, well… if you're positive that it's fine, can you take him to the museum next Friday?"

"The museum?" Akihiko's voice piqued up. "What's at the museum?"

"Nothing really, but there's an exhibit showing right now that he'll like. I promised that I'd take him, but something came up for work and I have to go to Osaka that weekend. But I just can't cancel on Misaki."

"Don't worry. I'll take him, no problem."

Takahiro let out a big pent up breath and smiled with relief. "You're a lifesaver! I was so worried that you wouldn't be able to help."

"I'm always here for you, you know that."

"Yeah, but still…"

Akihiko frowned as he decided how to word his next question.

"So, the whole weekend?"

"Well, Friday to Monday."

"You're leaving him alone at your apartment?"

"I know, it makes me nervous too. I was gonna have him stay with Minami, but I think that'd make him uncomfortable. It doesn't matter though, because she's actually coming with me now." He sighed. "Anyway, I decided that Misaki is old enough to stay home alone."

"Just because he's old enough doesn't mean that he should."

Takahiro closed his eyes for a very long second. "I have to accept the fact that he is growing up."

"But it's too dangerous for him to be alone that long."

"It's not even a week. But yeah, I know what you mean. I think he'll be okay though; there haven't been any serious attacks on Region Three for a couple months."

"He can stay with me."

"No, don't worry about it."

"I have lots of room. It's really no problem."

"Don't be ridiculous. He'll be fine. It's just one weekend, and on Monday he has to go back to school anyway."

When Akihiko scowled and looked away, Takahiro frowned. The man could be so difficult at times. "If you want, you can check up on him every day and call his cell whenever you feel like it."

He waited for his friend to reply, but there was only silence.

"Is that okay?"

Akihiko stared at him long and hard until it was clear that Takahiro wasn't going to budge. He gritted his teeth. "Fine."

"Good! Now, I already bought the museum tickets, so I'll give those to Misaki. I'll give him money too, so make sure he takes you to dinner."

Akihiko pulled a box out of his pocket and took a cigarette. "Going out to eat isn't necessary. I just want a homemade meal from Misaki."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure that if you ask for it, he'll make you one. He's actually quite a good little chef."

When Akihiko nodded and lit up the cigarette, Takahiro looked away, narrowing his lips into a fine line.

"What?"

"Usagi-san, I've told you before that I don't want you doing that around me." Takahiro frowned disdainfully.

"You've never told me that," came the calm reply.

"Okay, maybe I didn't, but I've certainly _thought_ about telling you not to do it."

Akihiko sighed and extinguished the burning end on a nearby ashtray. It wasn't as if he was actually craving the nicotine and if it would make Takahiro happy, then he wouldn't smoke around him.

"Can I ask you something?"

When his friend nodded, he continued, "Well, when I took Misaki to my condo, something weird happened. He accidentally fell asleep on the couch…" Akihiko trailed off, hoping that Takahiro would say something.

But his friend just sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "He fell asleep, huh?"

"Yeah, asleep."

"I see. And?"

Akihiko tapped his fingers against the chair and looked away. It felt weird talking about Misaki like this behind his back. Almost like he was betraying him. "Well, he woke up screaming. It was weird though; he wasn't surprised about it."

Takahiro massaged his forehead. "Yeah, well, it happens a lot."

"Okay….?" Akihiko urged, trying to press for more information.

"Look, Misaki is really sensitive about his dreams, and I don't feel right telling you about them. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you."

Akihiko grimaced.

"Don't feel bad if he doesn't say anything. He's very reticent about the nightmares; it's just a bad subject for him. Don't take it personally."

Akihiko leaded back and tried to loosen his frown. As much as he realized that Missaki would need time to get used to him, he was a little peeved that the boy didn't feel comfortable enough to tell him about it.

Neither said anything more, and nothing more needed to be said. As they sat by the fire, Akihiko replayed the night that he took Misaki to his condo. For the last few days, that evening had been all he could think about, and one thing about it had been bothering him.

When he had his hands on Misaki's chest, he had been too overwhelmed with the pleasure of touching the boy that he hadn't paid attention to how skinny he was. Of course, he noticed it right away, but the thought quickly left his mind to attend to more… important matters.

He wanted to ask Takahiro about it now while he had the chance, but it was a rather tricky subject. Bringing it up would shed light on the fact that he had thought about Misaki's body. But it was highly unlikely that Takahiro would be shrewd enough to think about that, much less realize that he had also _touched_ his brother.

"Hey, Takahiro, when I was with Misaki the other day, I noticed that he's very skinny for his age."

The man tore his eyes away from the fire and gave a small laugh. "Oh, yeah, he's always been a little small."

Apparently, Takahiro wasn't getting the point. Akihiko hardened his voice as he corrected, "No, not small. Skinny."

"Well, he doesn't always eat much."

"So make him eat more."

Takahiro's eyes flashed. "Don't tell me how to take care of my brother."

When Akihiko recoiled from the harsh tone, Takahiro took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's just… See, I took him to a doctor, and they said that he was underweight. He's just never hungry. I can't get him to eat."

"But you said that he cooks a lot."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that he eats much of if. More than anything, I think the problem has to do with our parents. Ever since they died, his appetite just disappeared. If he's sad or reminiscing about them, his stomach shuts down. But sometimes when he's happy, he eats more normally."

"He's sad a lot?"

"No, not exactly sad, but I can tell that he thinks about our parents quite often, and I know it affects him negatively. Quite often years ago, when he thought I wasn't listening I would hear him in his room talking to them. Of course, they've been dead for over ten years now, so I don't think he needs to talk to them as a coping mechanism anymore. Or maybe he still does, but the conversation just takes place in his head. I really don't know."

Akihiko looked down and scratched his nail along the fabric of the chair. He didn't really know what to say at a time like this. Sorry? I wish that your parents hadn't died? I hope things get better for you and Misaki? All of it was true, but none of it was really appropriate to say.

After a moment, Takahiro flushed and shook his head dramatically. "Ah, sorry, sorry, this isn't the kind of thing that you want to talk about."

"I want to know everything about Misaki," he said seriously.

Takahiro forced out a laugh. "Well, I guess you know one more thing then."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

**In this chapter, I realized that I use the word "he" way too many times. This means that I probably always do it, but just never notice it. I tried to fix it, but then it was all awkward sounding so I changed it back.**

**All questions/comments/ concerns/ criticisms are more than welcome. Thanks for reading! If you are confused, just ask me and I will clear anything up.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I guess last chapter was confusing. So you all know, Misaki and Akihiko have not yet gone to the museum (that is what they will do THIS chapter). Last chapter Takahiro was **_**asking**_** Akihiko to take Misaki, because he is going out of town.**

**I got the idea for this chapter and the next one from a novel I read a long time ago. I don't recall what it was, but I still can't take full credit for it.**

**As always, your reviews keep me writing even when I know I should be practicing. Thank you! Every single one makes me incredibly happy.**

**This is the longest chapter I've ever written by several thousand words, so don't read if you don't have time.**

**Chapter Nine**

Akihiko rolled over onto his stomach and groaned.

A whole week.

An entire week he had waited for this day, and now that it had come he was nervous as hell.

Today was the beginning of his weekend with Misaki. As excited as he was, the his eagerness had it's negative points too. The past twenty years of his life, he hadn't ever really anticipated something with such intensity. Sure, he _thought_ that he got excited about things, but no. He now knew what it truly meant to look forward to something. It was a feeling he had never experienced, and to be honest, he didn't like. It made him feel jittery and nervous, completely distracting him from getting his work done. And he _really_ needed to finish his manuscript. Or else.

If it came to it, he was more than willing to drop everything for Misaki. However, after some harsh and rather convincing— and by convincing he meant threatening— words from his editor, he decided that it would be best if he at least attempted to finish his manuscript.

But… that didn't work.

He _tried_ to write, he honestly did. It was just that the need to be with Misaki was overwhelming, rendering him incapable of accomplishing any specific task.

He pushed his chest off the bed to look at the clock on the bedside table.

Only ten more hours until his date with Misaki.

But what if Misaki didn't want to see him? Even though the boy seemed fine when they last parted, further reflection on his part might have changed his mindset. And technically, Akihiko supposed that he did force himself a little on him. Yes, he'd have to tread carefully tonight so as not to frighten the boy. As much as it would pain him, Akihiko wouldn't lay a finger on Misaki until he knew that it was alright.

* * *

After seeing his brother out the front door, Misaki made a cup of tea and took a seat by the window. Takahiro's train left early, so Misaki had gotten up early to make him breakfast. But now he was alone, and that made him feel… well, lonely.

Sure, every once in awhile solitude was a nice change of pace, but the past week he had depended on Takahiro to keep him sane. Without him, he wouldn't have been able to get his mind off a certain silver haired man. This preoccupation with the man annoyed him. For some reason, he couldn't get Akihiko out of his head; a picture of his face always popped up in his brain at the worst times. But sometimes, it wasn't just his face that Misaki saw. Sometimes, Akihiko was doing other things, things that Misaki would never be able to admit to thinking about.

And now that his brother was gone, Misaki wouldn't have to be constantly making Takahiro food, cleaning his dishes, picking up his messes… Really, the list of things that Misaki did for his brother was quite extensive.

It wasn't that Takahiro was incapable of taking care of himself; it was just that cleaning and cooking was the only way that Misaki knew how to repay the man for, well, everything he had sacrificed.

Taking another sip of tea, Misaki watched the wind viciously rustle some tree branches. It looked very cold outside. Multitudes of dark and angry clouds spanned the entire sky, leaving no sun out to warm the ground.

As he blew across the surface of the tea to cool it down, he thought of his brother. He saw Takahiro standing nest to him holding his hand, trying to keep back his tears, trying to be strong. After their parents died, they were both a mess. But Takahiro didn't let it show. He took it upon himself to take care of Misaki, even dropping out of college to get a job when they didn't have enough money to pay the bills.

But even though the man put on a strong face, Misaki knew that he was devestated. More than once, Misaki had caught him crying in his room. When confronted about it, Takahiro smiled and denied that anything was wrong. Misaki, even though he was only eight at the time, could tell that his brother was lying.

The way that he saw it, Takahiro had sacrificed everything to make sure his brother grew up in a normal family. Or, at least as normal as it could be.

He closed his eyes and set the mug on a nearby table, trying to ignore the cold air of the apartment. When company came over they raised the thermostat a bit, but other than that it was normally set a little lower to save on energy bills.

When he felt a shiver wrack his body, he pushed himself off the chair and grabbed a blanket from the closet. After draping it over himself, he let himself relax on the couch, scrunching up his legs. Everything felt better now; the blanket was soft and warm, making him feel safe. Content.

He closed his eyes, allowing exhaustion to draw him down. It was still relatively early; it couldn't hurt to take a small nap.

He slept for several hours longer than he had planned. After getting up and stretching, he took out his cell phone and flipped it open. No missed calls. Not surprising. The only people who ever called him were Takahiro and occasionally a friend from school.

He scrolled through the contacts until he got to Akihiko's and left his finger poised above the call button. The man had given him the number when they last saw each other, saying to call if anything came up. Misaki hesitated. Canceling was probably the best thing to do, but he couldn't force himself to press the call button.

He just groaned and threw his cellphone onto the couch, trying to ignore the little voice in his head that was screaming "bad idea." Misaki knew that it would undoubtedly be an awkward evening if he and Usagi-san were to meet up again.

Misaki mentally kicked himself. After his embarrassing black-out last time they got together, he was in no rush to see the man again. Akihiko had surely been laughing at him for a whole week now behind his sly smile.

Too late now. But, hey, he had already made a fool of himself, so it wasn't like he could humiliate himself any more tonight.

With that oh-so-comforting thought in mind, Misaki took a quick shower. After being done and dressed, he stood in the middle of the bathroom, not sure what exactly he was supposed to do next.

To pass the time, Misaki ran around his apartment cleaning. Not that everything wasn't already clean, but he decided that it couldn't hurt to wipe everything over again.

Once that was done, he did the shopping. There wasn't anything he really needed to get, but it was a good forty minute walk to the bargain-priced grocery store, and he really needed to get out and clear his head.

By the time Akihiko drove up to the Takahashi apartment, Misaki was sitting on the steps waiting. Seeing the fancy red sports car in the daytime was totally different than the obscured view he got last time.

It was sleek and shiny, maybe even a high-end GTO of some sort. But then again, Misaki really didn't know anything about cars, so he could only imagine what something this fancy would cost. But it was obvious that it was _very_ expensive.

As Akihiko stepped out of the drivers seat, Misaki sat there and watched, thinking about how extravagant it all looked. Together, they were flashy, practically begging for attention. _I guess that's what self-confidence does_, Misaki thought.

The man was wearing a violet button down shirt covered by a vest and suit. On anyone else, the rather feminine color would have looked too girly, but on Akihiko it looked _quite_ the opposite. His hair was brushed away from his forehead, falling to his neck in thick silver pieces. He looked like a complete dream, sexy and powerful.

Misaki stopped his thoughts in their tracks.

_Sexy? _

Since when did he think of another man as sexy? Oh no. Those types of thoughts were not appropriate for a normal Japanese male.

He forced himself to push all impure thoughts and images from his mind.

The man walked up to him with narrow eyes, mouth and jaw tight.

Still, Akihiko smiled slightly when he spoke. "You were waiting for me."

Misaki frowned. It was rather difficult to cleanse his mind of all sex-related thoughts when the man spoke like that, all low and rumbling. "I wouldn't say that I was waiting. More, I was just bored and had nothing to do."

Akihko lifted his hand as if to help the boy up, but hesitated. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Misaki replied, standing up.

"You wanna get something to eat before heading to the museum?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine."

"I see." Akihiko dropped his arm and looked away, becoming still and silent.

_Oh, hell. _Misaki subdued a groan. This was the reason why he wanted to cancel. It was just way too awkward.

"Usagi-san, if you don't want to take me, you don't have to. Don't feel obligated just because Takahiro asked you to."

Akihiko stepped away and narrowed his mouth into a fine line.

"Really, it's okay. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," Misaki continued.

"Have I given you any indication that I don't want to go?"

"Well, no, not exactly, but—"

"Then don't assume." The words sounded angry, almost like they were being snarled.

Misaki's eyes widened. "Oh… Sorry," he whispered, slightly shocked at getting chastised.

"No, just…. Shit. I didn't mean it to sound like that." Akihiko said. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Let's just go, okay?"

Misaki could only nod and allow Akihiko to lead him down the steps. Barely two minutes into their reunion, and the conversation was already uncomfortable and tense. He sighed. Looked like it was going to be a long night.

* * *

The museum exhibit wasn't very large. The building itself covered almost a whole block, but it was sectioned off so that only a small part was actually being operated.

A long time ago, multiple exhibits would be shown at once, but those days were long gone. People just didn't visit the museum anymore— probably a result of the war and suffering economy— so the city had cut off a majority of their funding.

Even so, the exhibit was well assembled and organized, clean and peaceful. It might actually be a nice place for a date, Misaki realized, except for the fact that Akihiko had been acting really weird.

Ever since he was picked up several hours ago, Misaki had felt like there was a huge distance placed between them. Akihiko rarely spoke, and when he did, it was out of necessity, not conversation. On top of that, he wouldn't touch Misaki. Not even a hand on the shoulder or a casual brush of arms.

But what was even weirder, he had been staring at the boy all night. Staring and… following. Wherever Misaki went, Akihiko came after. It wasn't that it freaked him out, it was just strange. Misaki wasn't used to people paying much attention to him— after all, he was a below average boy in height, academics, and looks— but Akihiko hadn't let him out of his sight once.

Misaki had tried to ignore it, tried to pretend that he didn't notice, but that just wasn't possible. As he looked into the glass casing surrounding some ancient artifacts, he could feel Akihiko's eyes boring into him.

The man was probably still confused about last week when Misaki had his embarrassing panic attack. Or maybe, Akihiko was staring because he got a chuckle every time he remembered what had happened. Either one would suck.

Misaki sighed. There was only one thing to do, and although it was completely necessary, it was gong to be awkward as hell. He hadn't wanted to bring it up again, but if this went on any longer, he was going to burst.

"So… I'm sorry about before."

"Before?"

"You know, a week ago when I was at your condo… I didn't mean to flip out on you."

"Oh," Akihiko murmured. Unfortunately, he remembered the events of that evening with shocking clarity. Every single fucking detail.

Misaki scratched a finger along the glass. "It wasn't your fault, I promise."

"Yeah, sure it wasn't my fault."

"No, really, it wasn't. I don't know why I acted like that."

Akihiko stopped in his tracks. "Are we even remembering the same night?"

"Please, just believe me," Misaki whispered, looking desperately into Akihiko eyes. "Don't blame yourself."

"What makes you think I am blaming myself for something?"

Misaki shifted awkwardly. "Well, you are, aren't you? You've been acting weird all night."

Akihiko sighed. "Blame is a strong word for how I feel. I don't blame myself for anything. It's more like I feel guilty."

"Guilty? Why?"

"Don't pretend that you don't understand." Akihiko clenched his hands into fists and tried to control his voice. "I never wanted to be the source of any of your pain. Only a few weeks of knowing you, of feeling this strongly for you, and I've already hurt you."

_Hurt?_ Misaki put a hand on the man's arm. "You didn't hurt me. You would never hurt me." Even as he said it, Misaki realized that it was true.

The man leaned into Misaki's touch and closed his eyes, as if he was absorbing the feeling. But then he jerked away and furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't have to make me feel better."

"I'm serious."

Akihiko opened his mouth to say something, but then paused and turned away.

"Usagi-san?"

When he spoke, the sound was forced, like what he said was done through gritted teeth. "It's late. We should go now or else there won't be time to get dinner."

Misaki just nodded and followed him through the museum to the exit. Akihiko was walking quickly, and it was hard to keep up. Didn't tall people know that shorter people couldn't cover as much distance? Obviously not.

He wanted to say something, to reassure him that everything was okay, but he didn't know what.

The silence continued until they were both buckled up in their car seats.

"Where do you want to eat?"

Misaki frowned. Akihiko, for how reserved he was earlier, didn't sound angry. If anything, he seemed tense. "Um, I'm not very hungry."

"Takahiro told me to 'make sure' that you took me to dinner. So, where do you want to go?"

Misaki hesitated. "I guess… anywhere's fine then. I don't care."

"Okay," he replied, revving the engine.

"Look," Misaki said, buckling his seatbelt, "I want you to know that nothing that happened last week was your fault. I told you before, I'm not angry or anything." He felt himself blush, unable to believe what he was thinking about saying. After a big gulp of air, he gathered his courage and blurted out, "And whatever you were doing to me before I blacked out… well, I'm not saying that it was okay, but… just… don't stress. It's fine."

Akihiko looked over at him and smiled. It was just the edges of his mouth lifting up the tiniest bit, but it filled up Misaki with a warmth that he had never felt. Seeing him smile like that did something to him. He looked… beautiful? Or maybe the correct word was handsome. Men weren't beautiful.

Whatever it was, Misaki never wanted anyone else to ever see that smile. He wanted it reserved for himself only.

But then Akihiko lips widened sensually, as if his thoughts were turning dirty.

_Oh no_, Misaki thought. When he said "it's fine," he didn't mean anything by it. He didn't mean that it was okay for Akihiko to touch him that way again.

He looked away and sighed, cursing his stupidity. He definitely, no way, wanted to be touched like that again.

But then again, maybe if was Akihiko it would be okay. The man's hands were so gentle, and his fingers knew exactly where—

_No!_

Misaki shook his head viciously to expel the thoughts. Even if it was Akihiko, he didn't want that.

Probably.

* * *

A marble desk was located in the entranceway of the restaurant. One of the hosts there immediately led them to a booth in the back.

The restaurant was nice, a lot nicer than anywhere Misaki had ever been. The lighting was dimmed, giving everything a velvety appearance, but not so much that he had trouble seeing. In order not to stare at the fancy chandelier that hung from the vaulted ceilings, he examined the soft leather of the seats. It wasn't cracked and hard like most of the places he went with Takahiro.

"Have you ever been here before?"

The question startled Misaki, who was thoroughly absorbed in the fancy décor.

"Ah, no. Takahiro and I don't eat out much."

"What kind of food do you like?"

Misaki cleared his throat. "Anything's fine. I'm not too picky."

A waitress came over with two glasses of water. She set a glass down in front of Misaki then turned to Akihiko and leaned over. As she slowly put the second glass on the table, she dipped her chest down lower than necessary. Making sure that her cleavage was on display, no doubt.

But Akihiko didn't even look at her.

She coughed, trying to get his attention. When Akihiko glanced up, she jutted her hip out and introduced herself before asking, "Can I get you something to drink other than water? Beer? Or wine, perhaps?"

"I'm fine. Misaki?"

"I'm good."

She took a step closer. "Would you like me to tell you about our specials?"

"Sure."

As she talked, Akihiko looked at Misaki. He wanted the boy to look up and smile, or at least meet his eyes, but Misaki kept his gaze down on the table.

The waitress cleared her throat and twirled some hair around her finger. "You sure you don't want something to drink? Sake? A shot? We brew our own alcohol here, it's really very good—"

"We're fine, thanks."

She huffed a little and frowned before she left.

Once they were alone, Misaki opened the menu. He scanned the paper and tried not to cringe. "Ah, Usagi-san, I know that I'm supposed to pay, but I don't think I have enough…

The man didn't miss a beat. "Don't worry about it."

"I really can't afford it. I didn't think we'd be going someplace so expensive."

"Like I said, don't worry about it. It's not like I was going to let you pay anyways."

"Oh." Misaki tried to come up with a protest—more out of social courtesy than anything—but couldn't. At these prices, it wasn't like he could even pay for half a plate of noodles.

He leaned back in his seat and took the menu, tracing a metal corner, feeling Akihiko's eyes on him. Abruptly, Misaki closed it and threw it on the table. "Stop looking at me."

"Why?"

"Because," he replied, exasperated, "staring is not okay."

"People often stare at things they are fond of."

"Well, just… stop it."

Akihiko sighed and took a sip of water, letting silence stretch out between them. He nudged the menu back in the boy's direction.

"Here, decide what you want."

"Maybe we should just go back."

"Back? To your apartment? But we haven't eaten yet."

"I'm not very hungry."

"Well, order something anyway. Don't make me tell Takahiro that you bailed on me."

"That sounds like a threat."

"I think of it more as persuasion."

Misaki slowly opened the menu and glanced through. "It really is okay to stop staring at me, you know."

"Yeah. But nothing is as interesting as you."

Immediately, the boy's eyes flipped up, completely shocked at Akihiko words.

But before he could process what Akihiko had said, a cloud of perfume wafted over them. It was the waitress returning.

"What can I get you gentlemen?" she asked, standing so close to Akihiko that her hip touched his shoulder.

Misaki glared. Could the woman be any more obvious?

Akihiko seemed unperturbed, a fact that only annoyed the boy further.

"The gyoza and cucumber salad is good for me."

"Okay," she said, writing down the order on a pad of paper. She turned to Misaki. "And you?"

"The miso soup." He was shocked at how nasty he sounded.

"Anything else?" she asked, shimmying closer to Akihiko— if that was even possible. "Appetizers? Some alcohol?"

"No, that will be all," Akihiko replied calmly.

"You sure? I can get some spring rolls over in a few minutes." She was practically on top of him by now.

Misaki had just about had enough of her. "No," he hissed, shoving the menus at her. "We're fine."

She looked a little taken aback by the rude words.

Once she left, Misaki looked away, embarrassed by his mean words, unsure why he was acting like such a man-bitch. He coughed from the lingering perfume cloud.

"So, Misaki, what do you want to do after this?"

"After this? What do you mean?"

"Takahiro told me that I could come over whenever I wanted."

"Oh, really now?"

"Yep."

Misaki sighed. If Takahiro gave him permission, then there was really nothing he could do about it.

"I was thinking that after I took you back, we could do something together."

Misaki spoke slowly. "Do… something?"

The man nodded, showing that lecherous smile of his again. "Yeah, we could do _whatever_ you want. You said that it was okay for me to touch you, so I was thinking—"

"Whoa there!" Misaki interrupted, bringing Akihiko to a halt. "I definitely did not say that it was okay!"

"Yes, you did. Just a few minutes ago in the car."

"W-well, yeah, but no, I didn't mean it like that!" he managed to sputter out.

Just then, the waitress arrived with a large tray, saving him from an awkward confrontation. When the plates were positioned down on the table, she stayed until Akihiko thanked her deliberately.

Misaki waited until she was out of hearing distance, then, "You know that she's coming onto you, right?"

"She is? I hadn't noticed."

Misaki jammed the straw into his water glass and scoffed. "Don't even try that. You'd have to be oblivious not to notice."

"I only want to look at you."

The seriousness with which he said those words hit Misaki strongly, making him feel a little uncomfortable. He forced out a laugh.

But Akihiko just sighed and rested his head on his palm. "You don't like the miso?" His eyes travelled down to the untouched bowl of soup and then back up to Misaki's face. "I can order you something else. Or you can have some of my food?"

"I'm fine."

"Then eat."

"I told you before, I'm not very hungry."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Akihiko ate two more dumplings and then reached across the table for the small menu by the soy sauce. "Does dessert sound better for you?"

"Not now."

"But you haven't eaten anything all night."

"I had a lot for lunch."

"No, you didn't."

Misaki crossed his arms over his chest. "How would you know?"

"Misaki," Akihiko said, laying the menu back on the table, "please just eat something. For me?"

The boy felt time stand still. God, Akihiko was doing it again. Doing that thing where he made his eyes all big and sad looking. It made Misaki just want to melt into the gleaming orbs. Such a bright shade of purple. Was such a color even natural?

He forced his throat to work. "There's no way you could know what I ate for lunch."

Akihiko dropped his voice so low that it was almost inaudible. "I just know. Besides, I'm right, so it doesn't matter."

Misaki tried to come up with a response, but failed. "Oh. Okay," he said pathetically.

"Anyway," Akihko said louder, "just try to eat something, or else I'll tell Takahiro on you."

Misaki grimaced but picked up his spoon. The first bite tasted like bile in his mouth. Sour and nauseating.

But Akihiko looked pleased, so he kept sipping small spoonfulls.

They ate for several more minutes in silence. Misaki waited until the other man had cleaned his plate, then he pushed the soup away.

As if on cue, the waitress swept up to the table. And what do you know? She had re-applied her lip gloss. That mouth of hers looked like it was smeared with some high-shine oil called Pink Sparkle or Romantic Raspberry.

Disgusting.

"Is everything all right, gentlemen?" She looked right at Akihiko as she spoke. "Want some coffee or tea to finish you off? Dessert?"

The man glanced at Misaki's frowning face and said, "Ah, no, I think we are good."

"Perfect," she purred, putting the check on the table. "I'll return in a few minutes."

Misaki reached into his pocket. "Here," he said, holding out a few bills. "It's not enough to cover the whole bill, but it's all I have."

But Akihiko pushed it away. "Keep it. I told you, I wasn't going to make you pay anyway."

Misaki jammed it right back in his face. "No, seriously, take it. If I bring it back, Takahiro will be mad."

"Fine, fine," he said, taking the money and stuffing it in his pocket. He brought out a credit card and fit it into the slot at the top. Before he could close the folder, Misaki saw a small piece of paper with a name and number sitting on top of the bill.

Of course. Little miss waitress was sending some pretty clear signals. It was only natural that she'd leave her number.

He looked down at his hands. He really didn't want to see Akihiko take the slip of paper.

"Well, tonight was really… fun. Thanks," Misaki said, sliding out of the booth.

"Wait, we're not finished, are we?"

Misaki looked up. The man had such a hopeful expression on his face. Dammit. This was going to make it that much harder.

"Er, it's getting late. I should be getting home. And the restaurant is going to close soon. Curfew, you know…"

"Ah, I see," Akihiko mused, a sensual glint in his eyes. "You want to finish this up at your house, don't you?"

Misaki blushed. "There really isn't anything to finish up. Just take me home, please."

"Of course, my Misaki. You don't have to ask me twice," he replied, eyes smoldering.

_Oh God_. Misaki tried not to melt. Akihiko was just so… sexy when he did that. And Misaki did _not_ think many things were sexy.

He shook his head, completely overcome with embarrassment. In a failed attempt to cover his red face, he looked at the ground as he followed the other man out of the restaurant.

The drive back to Misaki's apartment felt like it took a lifetime. The first ten minutes were the worst. He was too tense to say anything and too afraid to move his body into a more relaxed position. After all, any action would surely draw attention to himself, and attention from Akihiko was something that he _definitely_ did not need.

He checked his phone repeatedly, not really for any reason, but it gave him something to do that would make him look busy. Kinda like when people pretend to text in public just so that they don't have to make eye contact with anyone.

But once enough time passed and it was obvious that the man had no intention of making small talk, Misaki settled down, snuggling his head as far down into his jacket as it would go. It was cold inside the car. The heater was on full blast, but it still wasn't enough to take away the chill.

Still, it was probably warmer in here than in his house. He shivered, thinking about how he'd have to spend the night alone in the cold. At least he had blankets for his bed, and lot of them. They were all soft and nice smelling.

He smiled as he stared out the window, watching everything fly by. It was dark now and very quiet. Of course, it had been dark all day from the heavy clouds, but this was different. Almost like it was the calm before the storm.

But damn, Akihiko's car was comfy. The seats were a nice pliant leather, tilted at just the right angle for him to be able to relax completely. And it was finally getting warmer in the car too. Maybe he could just stay in the car overnight. Surely, Akihiko wouldn't mind. And it was so comfy.

Soon, exhaustion had clouded his brain, pulling him down into darkness. He knew it would be a bad idea to give in and fall asleep, but he was so tired. He fought the urge, but eventually the gentle rocking motion of the car lulled him into a deep slumber.

* * *

Akihiko stood up and cracked his back after laying Misaki down on the couch. He weighed so little for his age. Even at dinner he ate practically nothing. Weren't teenage boys supposed to have an enormous appetite? But then again, Takahiro did say that Misaki never ate much, especially when he was sad or remembering his parents.

Sad? Did Akihiko make Misaki sad?

No, he told himself, Misaki wasn't sad. Frustrated, maybe. But definitely not sad.

As he pushed up his sleeves, he stood over Misaki and measured the boy's slow, quiet breaths. He was so tiny on the couch. But tiny wasn't necessarily a bad thing. As much as Misaki would protest it, his size only made him cuter.

Akihiko sat down next to him and gently shifted the sleeping body so that it was nestled in the crook of his arm.

Next to the visible strength of his body, the boy looked even smaller.

Misaki stirred and lifted his head. "Usagi-san?"

"Don't worry. Go back to sleep," he whispered, nudging him back against his body. "I'm gonna hold you. That's all."

Misaki obliged, letting his head fall back with a small sigh.

When Akihiko felt a small arm move and tuck into his side, he gently pushed back the few pieces of hair on Misaki's forehead and rested his hand there.

Peaceful.

It was all so peaceful like this.

More peaceful than he had ever experienced.

He had a stupid desire to wake Misaki up and shift a bit just so that he could feel the boy settle against him once again.

Instead, he focused on Misaki's breathing and tried to match his inhales and exhales.

So quiet now.

* * *

A vibrating in his pocket roused Akihiko from his light sleep. With a mumbled curse, he pulled out his phone and glared at the glowing screen.

"Aikawa," he growled under his breath.

Stupid woman was out to get him, always calling and texting at the worst times.

He frowned, but then realized that things could be worst. At least he had his phone in the pocket opposite of Misaki. And he supposed it really _was_ his fault that she had to message him.

Aikawa was very adamant that his manuscript be in by tomorrow morning. It was already several weeks late, and if it wasn't completed by the extension, she'd have an aneurism.

He groaned. Why did it have to be due tomorrow? It wasn't as if his publishers would drop him if it wasn't finished. And even if they did, he was popular enough that some other company would quickly snatch him up.

But for Aikawa's sake…

He looked down at Misaki's sleeping form. The boy was all curled up in a ball against his side, snuggled into him.

Hesitantly, telling himself that Aikwaha was the devil incarnate, he began to slowly slide out from under Misaki. When he noticed a gentle tugging on the shirt, he looked down and saw a small hand fisted into the fabric.

Immediately, he sat back down. If Misaki didn't want him to leave— even unconsciously— then he wasn't going to leave. Resigning himself to his decision to stay, he leaned back and stroked Misaki's hair.

A moment passed in complete silence. But then, his phone started vibrating again.

Gritting his teeth to hold back a stream of profanities, he picked it up and read the message.

This one was angrier. He winced. A lot angrier. All caps, with multiple expletives. Aikawa could get so angry sometimes, especially when he shirked his writing duties.

It would probably be best to go home and write. But Misaki… he didn't want to leave the boy alone, especially with such a nasty storm brewing outside. As long as Misaki stayed indoors, it would be alright. Or maybe he could run home and come back with his laptop. That way, he could write _and_ be with Misaki.

But then he still wouldn't get any work done.

There was no two ways about it: he had to go home.

He would have plenty of time to write if he left now. It was only midnight. Very dark outside and way past curfew, but there was still enough time for him to finish his manuscript.

Slowly, one by one, he uncurled the fingers from his shirt. When he attempted to stand up, Misaki made little noises in the back of his throat. They weren't quite a groan, nor were they a whine, but they just made Akihiko's heart ache that much more. He had wanted to snuggle with Misaki for so long now, and just when he finally had the chance, Aikawa has to come and ruin it.

Now that he was separated from the boy's body heat, he realized how cold it was in the room. Not unbearably so, but enough that goosebumbs covered his upper arms and legs. Rubbing his hands together warmth, he walked over to a chair and grabbed a blanket thrown over the back.

He opened it and began to lay it over Misaki. A small black bracelet on the boy's wrist caught it eye. He leaned in closer and fingered the object.

It was stretchy and elastic. Not a bracelet, but a hair tie. Funny. Misaki's hair wasn't even long enough to pull back.

Maybe it wasn't there for utilization, maybe as an accessory. Not that Akihiko thought that hair ties could ever be fashionable, but what did he know? Teenagers were always doing weird things.

He sighed and covered Misaki with the blanket, making sure that every inch of skin was nice and wrapped up.

Suddenly remembering, he dug out Misaki's money from his pocket and placed it under the edge of a vase nearby.

Feeling his phone vibrating again, he grimaced and made his way to the door, not even bothering to check who it was.

"Goodnight, Misaki," he whispered, knowing that his words wouldn't be heard.

The door was unlocked, just like when he carried Misaki into the apartment. It annoyed him. What kind of idiot didn't lock the door? They were gone for several hours, plenty of time for someone to break in. Or even worse, what if someone had broken in while Misaki was still inside? The boy would be dead meat if he was ever attacked. Almost every man would be stronger than him, or at least bigger in weight and height. He'd be taken down in an instant.

Akihiko locked the door from the inside and then pulled it closed once he was on the outside steps. It wasn't the dead bolt, which would offer the most protection, but at least it was better than nothing.

Immediately, freezing winds assaulted his body. When did it get so cold outside? He pulled his jacket tighter around himself and looked up to the sky. It was so dark outside, but the sky was an odd shade of grey. Probably clouds, he thought. He could practically see them swirling around, preparing themselves for an upcoming storm.

* * *

Misaki pulled himself up from the couch, completely dazed, but kept the blanket wrapped over his body. It was warm and fuzzy, but his face exposed to the air was cold. Pulling his head under, he curled up into a ball and closed his eyes.

He debated going back to sleep. It was dark in the room, so it must still be night. And the couch was so—

Wait!

Couch? Why was he on the couch?

Wasn't he in Akihiko's car? Yeah, he was.

… and then he fell asleep.

Misaki mentally slapped himself. What kind of loser falls asleep in the car on a… date? No, it wasn't a date. Not at all.

He got off the couch and stretched. Groggily, he wandered back to his room, keeping the blanket pulled tightly around him.

He wondered what Takahiro was doing. Why hadn't he called? Normally, Takahiro would call whenever he was away, even it he was just coming home late from work.

Or maybe he was enjoying having alone time with Minami. Misaki realized that he must have intruded on their time together a lot. It must be hard for them to, _ahem_, have fun while there was another person in the apartment.

But still, Takahiro should have called. Misaki felt his pockets, looking for his phone. It wasn't there. He padded back to the living room. Not on the couch either.

He groaned when he realized where he left it.

The car. He left it in the car.

He could just wait 'till tomorrow morning and give Usagi-san a call.

Wait. No. That wouldn't work. He couldn't give a call from a phone he didn't have. And it wasn't as if he had the number memorized.

Takahiro had probably left him several worried messages by now. It could be days until he got his phone back, especially if Akihiko didn't notice that it was left in his car. Takahiro would blow his lid if he didn't pick up.

He groaned and looked at the clock. There was still plenty of time until morning. Maybe he should just go get it back now. It wasn't as if there was that much of a difference if he went now or later. Besides, he was wide awake; he couldn't go back to sleep now anyway. All signs pointing to yes, he grabbed a scarf from the closet and walked to the door.

It was locked. Weird. He rarely locked the door. It wasn't like he had anything worth stealing.

The moment he stepped outside, he felt his fingers lock up from the cold. _Damn_, it felt freezing out. But a part of him liked it. Liked the feeling of being rebellious. It was dark and past curfew, but he never paid any attention to curfew. And he'd always been fine before.

Grimacing, he put one foot in front of the other.

It wasn't that far to Usagi-san's condo.

He'd be there in no time.

No time at all.

* * *

**I think that I'm better at writing shorter chapters. When it's longer, I just don't have the energy to edit it all satisfactorily, so my sentences come out awkward and choppy. My apologies.**

**I've never been to Japan. Please excuse my ignorance if this is not what a Japanese restaurant is like. I know nothing about Japanese culture. I am aware that this would most likely not happen in Japan, but I have nothing else to go on. Sorry. :(**

**This chapter might be confusing, tell me and I'll clear anything up. :)**

**I have the next chapter mostly written, so if you guys give me a lot of inspiration I'll update it soon. Or at least, sooner than I would update otherwise. ;)**

**This chapter is a little boring (and too long), but I promise, next one will be quite tumultuous. Literally.**

**And silly Misaki for ignoring curfew. And bad Akihiko for setting a bad example. Hmmm. I wonder if this will get them into some trouble….**


	10. Chapter 10

**I have no excuse for the delay other than the fact that I'm taking 20 (!) credit hours (and 9 of them are honors credits). Some people may find this to be impossible, and I am starting to agree… So, this is mostly unedited, as I decided that editing it could take several weeks.**

**Since it's been awhile, here's a recap. Misaki went out with Akihiko, but left his phone in his car. So he began to walk to Akihiko's condo even though it was raining.**

**So this chapter may be confusing at first, but keep reading and it will be explained. Thank you for reading!**

**Chapter Ten**

Thunder banged and lightning blazed as great sheets of rain drenched the pavement as though wrath was being released into the sky. People watched the windswept streets flood from behind closed windows. There were those fearless enough to venture into storm's rage that slashed outside of their doors, but they were few and far between.

It wasn't uncommon for some to ignore the standard curfew set after the war began, but tonight most of them opted to stay behind closed doors. The streets and alleyways were completely deserted during these dark hours of the night.

Heavy drops drenched Misaki's clothing and hair, dripping into his eyes, mixing with his tears and preventing the blood on his shoulders from drying. The attack was was sudden, completely unexpected. There was no warning, no way he could have known.

He staggered through the ally, breath quivering, icy wind shaking his body as he looked around for something, anything. An open door, a car, a store.

But there was nothing. No one.

Misaki wanted to be safe and snuggled up in bed, surrounded by the quiet hum of the heater and Takahiro's snoring.

He wanted to pull the blankets up over his hair and escape to dreams of a certain silver-haired man.

He wanted to be back home. Protected. Warm.

Agony ripped through his body, wracking his chest, sending jabs of pain to his ribs and skull. Panic had tears falling down his already drenched cheek in cold streams.

He shouldn't have left his house. He should have waited until morning.

The man tried to knock him out.

Misaki touched the back of his head, wincing as he felt the sensitivity there.

With his arms circled around his chest, he fell back against the brick wall of a closed business and tried to breathe slower.

He'd been surprised on the streets, thrown into the back of a truck and kicked before he could protect himself.

The man's shoes were vicious. Nice, thick, heavy leather, with what was surely some kind of metal toe. He would know; the boot had rammed into his side enough times.

He knew the streets were the only way to get home. But he felt safer in the alleys. The streets were too open, too exposed. His attackers were probably waiting out there for him. He could only hide in the alley like a damn coward.

More than once, he thought about going out and revealing himself. They were going to find him eventually, and when they did there was no way he could defend himself, much less escape. He almost thought that it was better to just get it over with… but his ribs couldn't handle any more abuse at the moment.

A truck's engine rumbled in the distance. It was amazing that the guards who were supposed to be watching the borders didn't hear it. They probably left their stations, not wanting to stand in the storm waiting for some big heist that probably wasn't going to happen. It wasn't surprising; Misaki couldn't really blame them. Or maybe the guards actually were waiting, but the rain masked all noise.

Trembling, he made himself leave the wall and duck into a connecting alleyway. He dashed along, keeping himself close to the soggy length of the building, quickly making way further into the labyrinth of side streets while trying to watch the shadows moving around him.

But even then, Misaki knew that there was no place to hide. They would find him.

Turning into the next alley, he moved quickly along, his chest seizing with fear when lightning raced over the sky and thunder crashed.

A shriek burst out of his throat as he staggered into a trashcan, causing it to clatter loudly to the ground as a figure started appeared against the opposite wall.

Quickly, like a charging brute, it came at him, arms extended. Too dark to see anything other than how large it was, how tall…

Misaki screamed and tumbled backwards, the attacker instantly following. He tried to stay upright, to fend the other man off, but strong hands gripped his shoulders and whipped his arms down.

"Misaki!" The loud growl was severe and harsh. "Misaki! Dammit, stop!"

Misaki knew the voice, but panic ripped through him as he struggled to get away, pain burning his stomach, chest, and legs.

The mud soaking his knees, the filthy stench, and the grime under his palms had him lurching to free himself. He broke out into a run, slipped, but found his footing. The figure was behind him, growling, cursing.

Misaki cried in terror as he rounded a corner.

"Misaki!" it called, angry.

He just ran faster. But then stopped short.

In front of him was a giant brick wall. He was trapped.

He turned back around, prepared to make a break for it, but the man stood at the alley entrance, illuminated by the flashing lightning.

Misaki threw himself into the corner, but strong arms came around him

"Misaki, stop running from me!"

He looked up, breath suspended in his chest, relief flowing through him at the sight of the man above him.

Usagi-san came for him. He would be safe now.

He could only watch as the man's hand lifted and cupped his cheek. It trailed down his face and ran over his chin. Misaki leaned into the heat that the touch brought. It made warm feelings rush through him as a thumb stroked his lips.

"Misaki," he murmured softly. But then, thunder shook the air and the wind pushed against them harder. Akihiko looked up at the pouring sky. "I need to get you out of here. Can you stand?"

Misaki nodded as a hand caught his wrist and began to pull him forward. But Akihiko was moving too quickly, and the boy couldn't keep up. His legs weren't working right and he kept stumbling over rocks and trash.

Akihiko looked behind him and frowned. "Hurry, we need to go faster." His voice was gentle, but laced with urgency.

"I… I'm going… as fast as I can," Misaki struggled to say. Now that the adrenaline in his blood was diminishing, agony was piercing through his ribs and sides.

Without blinking, Akihiko turned around and scooped the boy up so he was lying across his arms. He sprinted forward.

Misaki shrunk down into the arms carrying him, reveling in the warmth and security.

"We're almost there," Akihiko said, as if he could sense Misaki's pain and anxiety. "I won't let anybody touch you. You're safe now."

"I know," Misaki murmured, feeling sleepy, "It's better now." He looked up to see water droplets falling out of Akihiko's hair. The rain was pounding harder now, and the man hunched his shoulders over to protect Misaki from the worst of it.

He just ran faster.

* * *

Akihiko gently lowered the boy onto the bed. Misaki was sleeping now, probably tired from the stress and trauma of the last few hours, but Akihiko had to make sure Misaki was all right.

Softly, so as not to hurt or wake the boy, he inched up the shirt hiding Misaki's stomach, but he couldn't get it high enough to see anything, so he tried forcing the fabric up. Misaki cringed and moaned softly when it put pressure on his injured ribs, so Akihiko stopped trying and left it alone.

Sighing, he got a few towels from a nearby closet and scrunched one into Misaki's hair. The pillow was absorbing most of the rainwater, but a lot was still drenching the brown locks. Once it was sufficiently dry, he ran it down over the forehead and then the bridge of Misaki's face.

By then, the towel was completely saturated. He tossed it aside and gently cupped Misaki's cheeks. God, Misaki was so cold. The soft skin of his face was freezing and, upon closer inspection, his lips had an icy blue undertone.

Frantically, he ran his hands further down the body. Every inch of flesh was cold and very wet. The one exception was the side of his chest. It was very hot there, the warmth easily seeping through fabric, indicating a deep bruise.

He took a new towel and dried Misaki's arms, thanking God that he'd had the foresight to remove the boy's jacket before laying him down. He didn't think he'd be able to get it off without waking him up.

Moving down the body, he then untied the shoes and popped them off. The water gathered in the soles splashed out when Akihiko tossed them to the other side of the room.

After that came the socks. After throwing those away too, he held Misaki's feet in his hands and rubbed. The toes were even colder than the rest of him, so he tried to massage some warmth into them. But after several minutes, they still felt the same.

"Misaki…" he mumbled quietly as he unbuttoned the boy's pants. Akihiko began to draw them down his legs, but the boxers underneath slid down too. Quickly, almost wincing, he pulled them back up. As much as he loved Misaki, and as much as he had hungered for him, Akihiko couldn't bring himself to touch or look. It was his fault that the boy was like this… he couldn't exploit Misaki in his current state, especially when he was in such pain. And so, even though the boxers were soaked through, they stayed on.

Suddenly, the pain became too much. Akihiko covered his eyes with his palms as he fell to the ground. It was all his fault. It was all his fault that Misaki was out in the rain, all his fault that Misaki got attacked. He should have done something, should have protected him. But in the end, he didn't protect him, and this was the result.

Wallowing with the pain in his chest, Akihiko almost didn't hear the bed shift next to him.

"Usagi-san," came a faint whisper.

He jerked his head up and reached frantically for Misaki's hand.

"You're awake." That was all he could say. He didn't know the words that would sufficiently make up for everything he'd done.

They sat in awkward silence for several long seconds.

Misaki was the first to speak. "You came for me."

Akihiko gripped the hand tighter, needing some base for him to hold on to, a base that would keep him from breaking down. He looked away, unable to meet Misaki's eyes.

"Not soon enough."

Misaki waited, allowing the comment to dissipate. "I'm cold," he finally said sheepishly, thinking how nice it would be to have Akihiko's warm body tucked in beside him.

"I'll turn the heat up," he responded immediately, getting off the ground.

But Misaki pulled him back down. "No, that's not… what I meant."

Akihiko finally looked him in the eyes, and instantly regretted doing so.

Misaki's huge green eyes stared right at him, almost like they were going right into his soul. He felt a sharp pain sting his heart.

"Misaki… I'm sorry. I told you that you could trust me… I promised you that I'd keep you safe."

"Don't do that. Don't go there." Misaki tried to sound strong, but failed miserably when his voice cracked. "You did keep me safe."

"I did not," Akihiko hissed, angry at himself. "If I had kept you safe, you wouldn't—"

"Are you crying?"

"No," he growled, looking away.

Misaki rubbed a thumb over Akihiko hand. "It's okay, I'm fine."

But the man didn't reply.

"Still a little cold though," Miaski said, praying that Akihiko would get the hint… He couldn't very well _say _what he wanted. That would be much too embarrassing and forward.

But the man still didn't say anything.

Misaki sighed dramatically. "If only there was someone who could keep me warm…"

Aihiko looked at him. "You would want that? After everything I've done?"

"Just get in," Misaki grumbled, blushing profusely.

"You're injured. I don't want to hurt you further."

"I'll be okay. Please… just keep me warm. I can't feel my feet they're so cold. And my fingers too."

"Misaki…."

"No, don't _Misaki_ me. I don't want you to check if I'm okay. I'm cold and I need you." Even as he said it, Misaki knew that it was true. Maybe it would last a day, maybe forever, but as of this moment, Misaki knew that he couldn't live without Akihiko beside him. It was irrational and compulsive thinking— after all, he barely even knew Akihiko— but it was true.

"Let me check your ribs first. Please? I'll be gentle."

As Misaki grumbled, Akihiko stood to his full height and softly pulled up the boy's shirt. Again, it got caught between his back and the bed, so Misaki arched his back to allow it to pass. The moment when the fabric slid up, the boy arched up again, this time viciously with a loud and shrieking cry. The bleeding wounds on his side had adhered and dried into his shirt, ripping open when the shirt pulled away.

"Usagi-san, what'd you do?" he managed to gasp out as blood trickled down his side.

The other man stood there shocked, not knowing what to do or what had happened. "No, no," he said in a panic, "I didn't… I don't…" He pawed frantically at the boy's side, almost like he was afraid to touch it, but too afraid _not_ to touch it.

Misaki squeezed his eyes and held his breath for several long seconds, trying to make the pain pass. Eventually, he released the tension in one slow exhale.

He opened his eyes and found Akihiko over by a closet, getting some antiseptic and bandages. When the man turned around and saw Misaki staring, his eyes became full of worry and sadness. But even greater than that— and what scared Misaki the most— was the anxiety and fear etched on his face.

"I'm sorry, Misaki. I didn't mean—"

"Don't go there," Misaki pleaded, "Don't even say it. This, all of this, it's my fault."

"No, no," Akihiko whispered, crawling right up against the side of the bed. "It's not your fault."

Miski looked away, unable to meet the other man's eyes. He didn't want Akihiko to try and take the blame; that would just make them both feel worse.

Silence stretched between them until Akihiko held up the antiseptic. "I should disinfect you."

Misaki looked at it and grimaced, knowing how the alcohol would burn. Slowly, not wanting to watch, he turned his head away and grit his teeth.

He waited.

And waited.

He jumped when a warm hand landed on his shoulder. Confused, he glanced back. "Don't worry, Misaki. I'll try not to hurt you."

"Just do it already," Misaki growled, wanting the pain to be over.

Akihiko nodded. After hovering the bottle over his body, he began to spray.

The instant it touched Misaki's flesh, he screamed, loud and high. It wasn't that it hurt _that_ badly. But Misaki's mind and body was spent; it could take no more. It coated his skin in a fine, burning layer of mist, permeating deep into his open wounds. When his body began to seize, the older man reached out to restrain him. The hand, though strong and cold, was surprisingly gentle, calming Misaki until his cries became faint whimpers.

And then, like an extinguished flame, the burning was gone.

Misaki relaxed back on the bed, breathing deeply. He closed his eyes, glad that the ordeal was over. He stayed like that, relishing the cooling after-effects of the spray.

But then, Akihiko's voice brought him back to reality.

"I called your brother."

Misaki stared blankly at Akihiko, waiting for him to say that he was joking, that he would _never_ do something so horrible as calling Takahiro.

A minute passed until Misaki realized that the other man was serious. He groaned, completely horrified. There were few things worse than a worried Takahiro.

"I had to do it, Misaki. It's not like we can just leave him in the dark about this."

"No, we actually _can_ leave him in the dark about this. He didn't need to know."

"Misaki…"

"How could you tell him?" Miskaki moaned. "He would have been perfectly fine not knowing."

"That's not the point. He's your brother."

Misaki waited a moment to respond, looking at the wall away from Akihiko.

Then, slightly calmer now, he asked, "What'd he say."

"He didn't answer the phone. It's pretty late; he's probably asleep."

Misaki grasped onto the small trail of hope he had left. Tentatively, he asked, "So technically you didn't tell him yet?"

"No, I left a message on his cell right after we got back here."

"Oh," Misaki huffed, deflated.

"Come now, Misaki, you know it's better this way."

The boy just grumbled in response, unwilling to admit that there was even a small chance that Akihiko was right. Akihiko just couldn't understand was Takahiro was like when he was worried about his younger brother. He took overprotective to a whole new level.

Akihiko took a small bottle off the bedside table, distracting Misaki from his thoughts. "Do you want some pain medication?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine," he replied, waving the bottle away. Sure, it hurt, everything hurt, but not too badly. It was worse before. By now, his body was numb and almost unfeeling.

"You should take some. It'll start hurting soon."

"No, thanks," Misaki said. He never liked taking medicine. Swallowing pills always made him gag, and liquid medication burned his throat.

"You really should take some," Akihiko pressed, holding out two pills.

"I said I'm fine."

"Misaki—"

"No!" he screeched, "I don't want them."

Akihiko dropped his outstretched hard and looked away. "I should take you to the hospital. Actually, I should have taken you there two hours ago."

Misaki didn't reply, feeling a little embarrassed and guilty about yelling.

They stayed like that for a while, neither knowing what to say.

Eventually, Akihiko broke the silence. "You need to rest."

"I don't think I can sleep."

"You're not tired?"

"No, I am."

"Please, just try to rest? For me?"

Misaki nodded and closed his eyes, noticing when the lamp next to him was turned off. He concentrated on keeping his breathing deep and even, but every inhale seemed to pinch his ribs. It didn't hurt badly, but it was enough to distract him.

After a few unsuccessful minutes, Misaki opened his eyes, resigning himself to the fact that he would be getting no sleep tonight.

Akihiko hadn't moved; he was just sitting there by the bed, staring.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep too?"

"I need to watch over you. You know, make sure you don't have a concussion." Akihiko knew that he was lying. Sure, the concussion was part of it, but he also just wanted to look at the boy. Wanted to be close to him. Akihiko needed that right now… After being so close to losing the boy, he didn't want to let Misaki out of his sight.

"Want to get in bed with me?"

Akihiko smiled. A day ago, he would have given his left leg to hear those words come out of Misaki's mouth.

"I probably shouldn't."

"Don't be silly. You can't just sit there all night." He blushed a little. "Besides, I'm still cold."

Akihiko sighed and analyzed the situation. Finally, he stood up to his full height and went to the other side of the bed, ditching his shirt on the way.

The bed dipped slightly when he climbed in. As soon as he pulled the covers over their bodies, Misaki tried to snuggle towards him.

Any other time, Akihiko would have basked in the fact that, for once, Misaki was the one trying to get closer… But when Misaki groaned from the movement, all happy thoughts left his mind.

He reached out a hand to still Misaki. "Don't move, you'll hurt yourself." And then he scootched over next to the boy. Hesitantly, he draped an arm over Misaki, careful not to touch the bruise.

"Seriously now, you should try to get some more rest."

Misaki hummed a reply and tried to inch closer to the man spooning behind him, absorbing his warmth.

For the first time since he had found Misaki in the rain, Akihiko felt at peace. With the small body tucked against him like this, it seemed like everything was the way it should be.

Until now, all of his emotions had been blocked by the worry he had felt for Misaki. But now that Misaki was safe in his arms, other feelings surfaced. The most prominent of which was anger. A deep, hot anger that he had never before felt. He clenched a fist and lowered his eyes. But then, he caught a whiff of Misaki's hair. It smelled nice, a little bit musty smelling, like rainwater tends to do, but nice still the same.

Hesitantly, he kissed the soft skin on the back of Misaki's neck. He waited for the boy to spit out some acidic comment, but no such remark came.

Misaki was already asleep.

* * *

**This chapter was too dramatic. Sorry, I'll write happier stuff next time. Much happier, if you get my drift… hehehehe….**

**Oh, and apparently "scootched" isn't a word. But I think it should be, so sorry if my defilement of the English language bothers you. :) But hey, I'm French, so I get some leeway. **

**Remember, this is largely unedited, so my sentences are choppy and disorganized, but I decided that it wasn't too bad, so I just posted it.**

**Please review! Thank you!**


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